Naruto Shippuden: The Seven Stages of Nightmares
by Kunoichi101
Summary: A game of seven nightmares for Yume Yukisaki gives her emotionless feelings in order to begin the game. She must survive with a help from an older boy named Ryoji must defeat the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and the monsters called the Akuma Akumu in order to complete the game of nightmares. Will she escape from Kabuto as a host, who kidnapped her, when the game was already begun?
1. Prologue: A Nightmare Game

This is another story about Yume and her hateful relationship with Kabuto. This time, Yume was somehow kidnapped by Kabuto in an unknown place where no one else was here except for herself and Kabuto. Consider this... a game of two medical-nins.

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><p><strong>Prologue: A Nightmare Game<strong>

Somewhere in an unknown place, Yume Yukisaki, the Hyūga's ally from Konohagakure, became unconscious while lying down on a bed and then woke up as she found herself in the room by herself. She became confused how did she end up here unknowingly in a strange place and doesn't remember about what happened to herself back then.

"Where... am I?" asked Yume.

Suddenly, she felt a sudden faint and light pain from her left arm.

"My arm. What's going on?" asked Yume as she realized and became confused when she saw her left arm, wrapped with new bandages, after she woke up and found herself in a unknown location. She also wore a white yukata much to her confusion.

"I see you're awake."

She heard a voice she recognized and knew that it was the one who took her. She turned around and knew it was him all along as he opens the door to see her. A man with a gray hair kept in a ponytail and black eyes, and wears circular glasses, a dark purple shirt with a white undershirt and a white obi around his waist worn at an angle, dark purple pants and a shuriken holster on his right leg.

"Kabuto..." she realized.

He moved closer to her to unbandage her left arm knowing that her arm is already healed while she is unconscious. Yume moved away from him as Kabuto came towards her, but her left arm hurt her faintly after mysteriously kidnapped by him.

"Let me take the bandages off from your arm, my dearest Yume. You shouldn't move quickly with that faint injury of yours." explained Kabuto as he sat on the bed next to her and gently grabbed her left hand to unwrap the bandages.

She felt uncomfortable as he grabs her left wrist when he was about to unbandage her arm, which it was slightly injured at some point. She knew that she still couldn't trust him as always even he killed her sensei who was important to her three years, but gave up her hatred and revenge. Her former revenge gave her pitiful hatred towards Kabuto that she can't trust him when she first met him and realized that he killed her sensei because of her katana, which it was formerly belonged to her sensei before his death. She looked away from Kabuto as he unwrapped the bandages around her left arm, and he recognized how she felt.

"I see you still can't trust me, as always." Kabuto remarked.

Yume became reluctantly silent when he realized that she couldn't trust him.

"Where am I and why you're here?" she asked, knowing that she doesn't remember how she was captured by Kabuto. "You kidnapped me, did you?"

He grinned as he finishes unwrapping the bandages from her arm.

"So you knew. I'm very grateful that you knew about what happen to yourself while you were unconscious as I tended your wound from your left arm." explained Kabuto as he caresses her face much to her shock. She felt uncomfortable when her face was touched by someone she would never trust at all. Yume pushed him away from her, knowing that he tries to entice her to become his test subject and puppet at most.

"I... still... can't trust you at all." flustered Yume.

"I know," replied Kabuto. "But... you won't find a way out to escape from this place."

She became confused as Kabuto explained to her that she won't find a way to escape from this mysterious place after being kidnapped by him while she was somehow unconscious.

"Why can't I escape from this place? What was that mean? I don't understand," she asked. "I want to know why..."

"This place that we are here now... is like a maze as the former locations that Orochimaru-sama used for test subjects. However, he became less interested in this and gave up already three years ago. So I received permission from him to use this former place," explained Kabuto.

"When did you receive permission from him?" she inquired as she wondered about Kabuto receiving permission from Orochimaru, the Sannin and the founder of Otogakure.

"I received a permission from Orochimaru-sama... while you're unconscious." he answered.

She felt afraid when Kabuto answered to her that he received permission from Orochimaru after he kidnapped her for strange reasons while she was unconscious. She sensed something strange about this mysterious place after being kidnapped by him for unknown reasons.

_"Where is this place? This strange place... It feels like... a nightmare, but I wonder... I wonder it's not a dream at all just now." _she thought.

Kabuto grinned as he saw Yume's face became emotionless like a doll, being wanted by someone she hate so much and she always never trust him for what he did before she received her hatred and revenge. He came towards to her ear and began to entice her as he whipsers to her.

"According to Orochimaru-sama before he gave up as he became less interested, this hideout was known as the **Seven Stages of Nightmares**," he whispered to entice her.

"Seven Stages... of Nightmares?" she replied as she heard about this strange hideout.

All the sudden, she felt strange emotionless feelings inside of her from her faint feelings of her true self when Kabuto whispered something to her about the seven nightmares. She tried to resist it, but somehow realized that she already became manipulated so easily and early as she began to pass out after she felt strange feelings on the seven stages beyond the nightmares. Her eyes became hazy and unwillingly began to close itself and Yume became unconscious after she felt strange nightmares towards her.

He caught her quickly, but gently and lays her to sleep in order to recover her hazy condition. He began strode towards to the door after Yume fell asleep and shuts the door. Grinning, he knew that the game for his dearest Yume has just begun after she fell asleep unconsciously when hearing a game of nightmares and began to walk towards the mysterious door where it may lead to nightmares, which also leads to the seven nightmares. He touches the door to the seven nightmares and felt the feeling that the seven nightmares are waiting to see Yume's strength, solitude, and her survival for the seven trials.

"The game of the **Seven Nightmares**... for my dearest Yume..." Kabuto remarked, ready to be see his precious dearest Yume and her techniques even her Kekkei Genkai that they are very special to him. He knew that the seven nightmare are waiting impatiently for the beginning of the game for his special dearest when he enticed her to pass out in order to start the game and recover her hazy condition into her own reality of her dreams to begin her journey. "...has begun."


	2. Chapter 1: Preparing for the Game

**Chapter 1: Preparing for the Game**

As the game of the seven nightmares was about to begin, six nightmares are prepared as they heard that Kabuto brought someone for the game. They were Yoku, Ikari, Netami, Taidana, Kuzuri, and Joyoku.

Yoku is a slender man with black, sleeveless shirt and long pants and his hair is black medium hair. He also has a greedy personality for money and women.

Ikari is a silent, but a dependent man and he wears a samurai uniform: his top is gray while his hakama is black, and his hair tied as a ponytail, but his bangs covers his right eye. He also has a katana around his waist. He leans on the wall as he ignored the four nightmares' gossips about Kabuto brought someone for the seven stages of nightmares.

Netami is a young girl clad in a short gray Chinese blouse and short pants and her green hair tied as Chinese buns. She was playing with her ninja tools as she practices for her stage and became excited as Kabuto brought someone for the nightmares' game.

Taidana is a lazy young boy clad in a big gray Chinese jacket and long black pants. He was sleeping while sitting against the wall near Ikari. He is the second one and doesn't talk with his comrades by some point as they talked about Kabuto brought someone for their game.

Kuzuri is fat and boned guy with spiky black hair clad in black shirt and pants as he's eating some onigiri.

Joyoku is a beautiful lady clad in a black Chinese dress with a red rose as her texture and her black hair is long behind her waist. She wondered about what kind of a human the Kabuto brought for the nightmares' game.

"It's been a while that Kabuto-san brought someone for our game." remarked Joyoku as she knew that they didn't kill the next human in nightmares ever since. "I wonder who's the next one."

"Who knows... but," replied Yoku. "I'll find out who's the next challenger for our game. I'm ready for anything."

"Idiot, you don't know about who's next for our game," explained Netami.

Yoku became angry as Netami explained about the new challenger for their game. "What did you say, Netami? And also... how can you tell?" he asked in anger.

"Simple. Your greedy personality is always about money and women, but you can't tell a human's appearance if it's a man or a woman." Netami answered.

"That's enough, Netami. You're pushing Yoku too hard." said Joyoku.

"Whose side are you on, Joyoku?" angered Yoku.

While the three nightmares argued each other, Ikari saw the door opens and it was Kabuto. "Kabuto Yakushi."

Netami saw Kabuto came in and towards him to ask who's the next human for their nightmares' game. "Hey, Kabuto! Who's next? Who's next?"

He knew that Netami wondered about who is the next human for their nightmares' game and answers, "You'll find out once it's your turn, Netami."

"Hey, no fair! I want to know!" Netami whined as she really want to know who's the next one.

"Relax, Netami. All you have to do is to wait for your turn," explained Joyoku. "By the way... what happen to our leader just now?"

"That's right. He seems not talkative when we talked with him although he is the leader of the seven nightmares." Netami realized. "And also... he is still just the puppet leader while Megami-sama wasn't with us after she chose us when we were Orochimaru's test subjects."

"Well, he is the eighth nightmare unlike us." answered Kuzuri while eating his onigiri.

"Kuzuri, talk after you finishes eating your onigiri." replied Joyoku.

Ikari wondered about Kabuto as he became suspicous towards him when he didn't answer to Netami about the new challenger.

_"That feeling... Something's not right." _Ikari thought as he realized.

"Kabuto Yakushi, we need to talk just in case..." he said as he began to realize about the new challenger for the nightmares' game. "in private."

Kabuto realized that Ikari became suspicious towards him and had no choice, but to talk with him alone. "All right." he answered honestly.

Ikari and Kabuto left and the four nightmares became confused except for Taidana, who was still asleep as always.

"What's with Ikari?" asked Netami.

"Don't know," replied Yoku. "But... I have a bad feeling that Ikari knew what's going on."

After Ikari left his comrades and went with Kabuto in the hallway, he began to talk about the next person for the game of seven nightmares. "Kabuto Yakushi... the next person is... someone you interested in?" he asked.

Kabuto knew that Ikari has a sharp sense towards him as he knew that he was hiding something, which it was Yume after all. "So you knew. You seems impatient because you're tired of waiting for the next game ever since Orochimaru-sama gave up this place, Ikari." he explained.

"That girl, Yume Yukisaki, the Hyuga clan's ally from Konohagakure. Give me one true reason, Kabuto Yakushi. Why did you kidnap her?" inquired Ikari, knowing that it was a kunoichi from Konoha and Kabuto kidnapped her before the beginning of the game.

"Is this question important to you?" he replied.

"Answer my question first, Kabuto Yakushi." Ikari asked once again.

Kabuto knew that Ikari wanted to know about his dearest Yume very impatiently. "A silent, but a dependent man like you wants to know about my dearest Yume. My reason is that I enticed my dearest's feelings into emotionless feelings just in case in order to begin the game." he explained.

"Your dearest's feelings?" Ikari inquired about Yume's feelings that already became emotionless after Kabuto entices her and she became unconscious after hearing about seven nightmares. "That's your reason to entice a girl's feelings became emotionless in order to make the nightmares' game to begin?"

"That's correct. Any questions just in case?" answered Kabuto.

Ikari wondered about the puppet leader that he wasn't here when Netami, Joyoku, and Kuzuri mentioned about him. "Where's Ryoji?" he asked. "I know that he is leader, but a puppet while Megami-sama wasn't here just now."

Kabuto knew that Ikari wondered about Ryoji's current location and answers, "He's on a secret mission that I requested him when the game started."

Ikari realized that Ryoji went on his secret mission alone while the game already begun for him and his five comrades.

"A secret mission? I believe that I don't want to know about his mission from you although it already started right now, Kabuto Yakushi." he replied, knowing that game was only for seven stages for the challenger, Yume Yukisaki. He went back to his comrades after his short and private talk with Kabuto.

_"I shouldn't be impatient just now... even the beginning of the game,"_ Ikari thought as he keep walking to return to his comrades as the game has begun. _"However... something isn't right about this game after three years ago. It seems new unlike the former games that we killed challengers in their dreams as nightmares when they failed to survive."_

Meanwhile, an older boy with a red, long, and spikey hair, clad in a black sleeveless shirt with a symbol of a red dragon on the back and long black pants with his red chakrams around his waist, black fingerless gloves, and black sandals, Ryoji, stands between the cliffs and realizes that the game of the seven nightmares has begun while he was on a secret mission, requested from Kabuto.

"Protect the challenger, huh?" he remarked as he realized that game was already begun just now. "But... who is the challenger for the game?"

He remembered that Kabuto told him about his next mission, but it's a secret. It happened before he left and the beginning of the game.

"A secret mission?" he asked.

"Yes. This time, you're going alone while the six of them are preparing for the next game," Kabuto remarked. "Protect the challenger."

"Protect the challenger? Why would I do that?" he asked in confusion when Kabuto told him to protect the challenger for the new game.

"Just because... if you fail to protect the challenger, the game will completely end and the challenger would die easily," answered Kabuto. "You're the puppet leader of Megami's six nightmares, Ryoji, and you don't get along with them as the puppet leader while she wasn't here."

"What's the point getting along with Megami's comrades? Killing challengers during a game causes their dreams into nightmares," replied Ryoji. "Of course, I'm the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare entitled by Megami completely, but I had enough with killing challengers."

"I understand, but I told you about the mission. Protect the challenger is priority to complete the game, Ryoji." Kabuto explained.

"Priority? If protecting the challenger is priority, then who's the challenger?" Ryoji asked as he began to wonder about the new challenger.

Kabuto knew that the challenger was Yume all the time when Ryoji asked his question to him. "You'll find out when the game is about to start." he answered.

Ryoji received a mystery answer from Kabuto and knew that he had to find out who's the challenger when the game is about to begin. After his confused talk with Kabuto, he left before the game has started.

After he remembered about his secret mission to protect a challenger, he knew that he would protect the challenger as he find out who.

"Guess I have no choice, huh? Well, I have to find who's the challenger and then... protect the challenger until the end of the game." Ryoji wondered about protecting the challenger until the end of the game. He began to start his journey to search and protect the challenger from harm.


	3. Chapter 2: A Door to the Nightmares

**Chapter 2: A Door to the Nightmares**

As the first game begins, Yume slowly woke up after recovering her hazy condition because of Kabuto's whisper about the Seven Stages of Nightmares. She felt strange as she remembers about this place. On the sheets before her, she saw her katana and clothes with her Konoha forehead protector and a letter. She took the letter to see that it was from Kabuto and opened his letter.

_I'll see you when you see the door to the seven nightmares, my dearest Yume._

_Kabuto_

Yume became shocked as she knew that Kabuto already using her as his puppet after she woke up and realizes that his game already began. She wondered about the door to the seven nightmares that Kabuto mentioned it after she read his letter.

_"A door to the seven nightmares? I have to find that door, but... something's strange all the sudden."_ Yume thought.

She changed her clothes and putted her forehead protector around her forehead and took her katana with her as she's about to find a door to the seven nightmares. Her attire consists a black kimono with a gray sash around her waist and a white sleeve on her right arm while her other arm wasn't wrap with bandages because of Kabuto's tending, white pants above her ankles, and low-heeled, open-toed sandals.

While looking for a door to the seven nightmares, she sensed eerie feelings towards her and almost fainted, but then stood up. She panted as she used her Byakugan, she searches every door beyond the seven nightmares. However, she can't find the door of nightmares.

_"I can't give up. I must find that door!" _Yume focused, and she found the door with nightmares as she feels darkness towards her. _"There is it!"_

She ran to the door with nightmares, but that made her feel unconscious as she saw the door beyond the nightmare and almost knelt down on the floor. She almost passed out from using her Byakugan to find a door beyond nightmares and then stood up. When she touches the door with nightmares, she feels nightmares towards her that they are waiting for her impatiently as she became shocked and trembled.

"That feeling... I feel nightmares," realized Yume as she senses nightmares that are waiting for her impatiently.

"Well done for finding that door, my dearest Yume," Kabuto congrats as she saw him appeared after she found the door with nightmares.

She knew that Kabuto would come after she found the door with nightmares because of his letter.

"The Seven Stages of Nightmares. The door leads me to the seven nightmares, am I right?" she inquired after she realized about the door with nightmares.

"Yes, these nightmares are waiting for you impatiently, my dearest," he answered as he realized that Yume knew about this place.

"Waiting for me impatiently?" she replied as she became hesitated and confused. "What did you mean, Kabuto?"

He grinned slyly and backed her against the wall near the door beyond nightmares. When Yume was against the wall besides the nightmare door, he caresses her face gently as she became uncomfortable while she was confused and hesitated.

"I enticed your true feelings into emotionless feelings in order to begin the Seven Stages of Nightmares. And also, I'm a host of the game from now on, my dearest Yume. You're the challenger of this game, but you can't give up once you'll enter the door." answered Kabuto.

She pushes him away from her by touching her face and still can't trust him as a host of his game of the Seven Stages of Nightmares because he enticed her feelings into emotionless by whispering her about the Seven Stages of Nightmares to make her in a hazy state. However, she confused about entering the door of nightmares and cannot give up as the game already just begun.

"I can't give up? Why? What did you mean I can't _"give up" _once I entered the door to nightmares?" she asked once again, wondering about the door and the game about the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"Three years ago, challengers failed to defeat them and then ended up dead if they failed to complete the game. This time, I'm using you to complete the game in order to survive this game," he answered.

Much to Yume's shock after he gave a reason about the door to nightmares, a game about the Seven Stages of Nightmares, for him, of course, as a host due to Orochimaru became less interested and gave up this place, she can't believe that he already used her as a puppet.

"I'm not your puppet for your game. Like I told you before, I can't trust you." she said. "Why did you used me in order to let the game began already, Kabuto?"

"To survive by using your strength and solitude, my dearest Yume." he answered. "Seven opponents you will face against are the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. They killed challengers in humans' subconscious of dreams as nightmares."

She didn't realized about her strength and solitude in order to survive Kabuto's game of nightmares. However, she wondered about the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

_"Seven Shinobi of Nightmares? Seven opponents I must face against, but how strong are they?"_ she thought as she first heard about them.

"The Seven Shinobi of Nightmares, are they powerful?" she asked in wonder about the seven shinobi of nightmares.

Kabuto knew that Yume wondered about the six nightmares excluding the seventh and the last nightmare once she'll enter the door.

"Six nightmares are powerful, but the seventh and the last is still unknown," he answered.

"Unknown?" she inquired.

He knew that Megami was the leader of the seven shinobi of nightmares, however, Ryoji was a puppet leader while she wasn't here for the former games after she chose him as the eighth nightmare.

"Once you complete the last game of the seventh nightmare, you'll be free from my game, my dearest Yume." he answered honestly.

She was unknowningly surprised that she'll be free from his game of nightmares if she complete the last game of the seventh nightmare. However, she can't tell that Kabuto was telling the truth or just lying to her if it is his trick to deceive her.

"Are you telling the truth, Kabuto? I still can't trust you if you're lying," she explained as she knew that she still can't trust him if it is a trap and he might lie to her as a trick.

"I'm not lying, my dearest. Why would I do that? Once you enter the door, you'll find someone and he will protect you during the game," he explained with honest.

_"He'll protect me during the game?" _she thought as Kabuto convinced her about someone that he will protect her during the game.

"I have to find him during the game, right? I accept your game." she answered as she finally made her decision in order to complete Kabuto's game for her.

"Good, don't fail during the nightmare game once you enter the door, my dearest Yume. If you fail to complete the game like the rest of the former challengers before Orochimaru-sama gave up this place, you'll end up dead quickly," Kabuto mentioned as he grinned when Yume finally decided to survive his game unlike the former challengers before Orochimaru gave up.

Yume knew that she can't give up his game of nightmares and won't die easily like the former challengers before Orochimaru gave up this place and then Kabuto became a host of his game of the Seven Stages of Nightmares. She have to win the game and she'll be free from being Kabuto's captive as she began to enter the door to nightmares. She became trembled when she felt nightmares, but she opens the door and enters as she walks towards to the nightmares that they are waiting for her impatiently for so long.

_"I have to survive during the nightmare games. I have to win in order to be free from being his captive. I can't run away or give up easily." _she thought. _"And also... I have to find someone who will protect me that Kabuto mentioned during the game."_

He grinned as he watches his dearest enters the nightmare door and the door closes itself after Yume entered. "Now... let the game of nightmares begins," he remarked after Yume entered the door of nightmares.

With Yume's survival during a game of nightmares hosted by Kabuto, she must find the boy who will protect her during his game until the seventh and last nightmare of the final stage.


	4. Chapter 3: New Rules and Teams

**Chapter 3: New Rules and Teams**

After Yume entered the door of nightmares to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares, the nightmare game hosted by Kabuto Yakushi, who kidnapped her for unknown reasons. She mustn't give up or be killed by the Seven Nightmares in the nightmare game in order to free herself from being his captive because he convinced her about completing the nightmare game unlike the former challengers who were killed by them three years ago before Orochimaru became less interested and gave up the former place. From now, Kabuto became a host of the former place and the nightmare game, which Orochimaru gave up three years ago, and received permission from Orochimaru while she was unconscious after he captured her.

Right now, Yume is still walking towards the nightmares after she entered the nightmare door and also the nightmares still made her more tremble while feeling them as she sensed them.

_"Those nightmares. They still made me more tremble right now after I entered the door," _thought Yume, while walking endlessly towards them. _"I can't give up yet. I have to free myself from being his captive."_

As she keeps walking, she saw a dim light before her and ran towards it while being trembled by nightmares.

_"That light. I wonder what's there," _she thought as she went towards the light.

After she went towards the light, she found herself in strange, abandoned place where there were burnt or broken trees and no towns or villages. Much to her shock, she realized that this isn't a dream, but an endless and painful nightmare, as she saw nothing, but burnt or broken trees.

"What's going on? Everything is like a nighmare," Yume shocked as she found herself and saw a trembled place with burnt or broken trees after she went towards the dim light while walking towards the nightmares.

Suddenly, while Yume became shocked when seeing the burnt or broken place after finding the dim light, a strange creature lurked around her and the abandoned place, with burnt or broken trees.

Meanwhile, the six nightmares are prepared for the nightmare game except for Ryoji, who were absent and went on a secret mission. Netami became confused about why Ryoji didn't come for the nightmare game as it already began.

"Hey, what's wrong, Netami?" Yoku asked as he saw her became confused.

"I don't get why Ryoji didn't come when the nightmare game is already started right now. Where is he just now?" Netami confused as she became angry about Ryoji's absence for the nightmare game.

"Ryoji is on the secret mission as the game is already begun, Netami. He'll come later." answered Ikari.

"But, Ikari, he can't come if he's late for the nightmare game although it already started!" Netami explained.

"He'll come, Netami. You can't argued with Ikari just because Ryoji's late and we're waiting for him just for nothing," Yoku stated. "Besides, it's already started and we can't wait for him."

Netami knew that the game is already started and waiting for him can't let the game begin although it's already begun.

"Fine." she replied, much to her dismay and her impatient personality for waiting for Ryoji as the game already began right now.

Suddenly, Kabuto came to the six nightmare as they already prepared for the nightmare game.

"Kabuto Yakushi." Ikari realized as Kabuto came back again as the nightmare game already begun.

"Although you're already prepared for the nightmare game after Orochimaru-sama gave up the game three years ago, of course, you know the rules of the Seven Stages of Nightmare, to kill humans in their dreams as nightmares. However..." explained Kabuto.

The six nightmares became confused when Kabuto explained about the different nightmare game after Orochimaru became less interested gave the former game three years ago. Yoku became suspicous about something different about Kabuto and the former nightmare game which the Sannin and the founder of Otogakure.

"Hey. What did you mean '_however'_, Kabuto?" Yoku asked in a suspicious way.

Kabuto grinned as Yoku asked a question to him after he explained to him and the five nightmares about the Seven Stages of Nightmare, the nightmare game made and hosted by Orochimaru.

"After Orochimaru-sama gave up his former game as the former host which he created the game, I'm the host of the nightmare game." he answered.

The six nightmares became less shocked, but more confused that Kabuto became the host of the game of nightmares after Orochimaru gave up the nightmare game.

"Hey, wait a minute! What about Orochimaru-sama?" Netami asked as she became confused about Kabuto as the host of the nightmare game after Orochimaru gave up his former nightmare game which he created it for the chosen seven nightmares.

"Orochimaru-sama was also busy right now, so I received permission from him to use this former place and his nightmare game. After all," he explained. "I'm the host of the nightmare game from now on."

Ikari realized about Orochimaru's current doings after he left his nightmare game incomplete for three years.

"Is Orochimaru-sama training him right now? Sasuke Uchiha, am I correct?" Ikari answered as he mentioned about Sasuke Uchiha, the last member along with his older brother, Itachi Uchiha, who killed the Uchiha clan before Sasuke's defection from Konoha after his reunion with Itachi three years ago.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama is training Sasuke-kun right now," Kabuto replied as he realized that Ikari knew about Orochimaru was training Sasuke. "Of course, you seems heard a rumor about Sasuke-kun's defection from Konoha three years ago even you knew about the Uchiha clan and the rumor about Sasuke-kun from the test subjects that you killed back then, Ikari."

He became silent after Kabuto commented on him about information about the Uchiha clan incident and Sasuke, who was now trained under Orochimaru.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" confused Netami.

"You should have heard about him, Netami. It happened before Sasuke left Konoha three years ago because of his aniki, Itachi. And also," Yoku explained. "He's the current vessel that Orochimaru chose him three years ago during the Chunin exams."

Netami became shocked as she heard that Sasuke was Orochimaru's current vessel from Yoku.

"I can't believe it. That Uchiha boy is the current vessel of Orochimaru-sama." displeased Netami.

"Let it alone, Netami. We're not here for talking about the cute boy from the Uchiha clan," Joyoku answered. "We're here for the nightmare game."

"Call that Uchiha brat, _'cute'_, for no reasons!" Netami pouted in anger as Joyoku mentioned about Sasuke.

"But still, you do know that we have the challenger that Kabuto-san brought just now, right, Netami?" Joyoku also mentioned to her about the nightmare game, instead of her bragging about Sasuke.

Much to Netami's embrassment about Kabuto brought the new challenger, she forgot about the nightmare game and bragged about Sasuke Uchiha, as Orochimaru's current vessel.

"Please forgive me, Kabuto." apologized Netami, as she became embarrassed when she bragged about Sasuke instead of talking about the new challenger.

Kabuto sighed after Netami bragged about Sasuke Uchiha instead of talking about the nightmare game. "Anyway, about the nightmare game, I'll put you in order, from lust to pride." he explained.

"From lust to pride? But Orochimaru-sama never put us in order back then." Taidana replied as he yawned in confusion.

"Of course, he didn't use you in order before the nightmare game, but I'm the host this time." he answered.

"What? That's our first time to be in order," Kuzuri realized while eating his onigiri again.

Joyoku sighed when she sees him eating his onigiri while talking about the new nightmare game, hosted by Kabuto.

_"Guess it can't be help..." _she thought as she felt unamusing.

"Yes, from lust to pride, I'll put you into three groups," Kabuto replied.

_"Three groups?" _Yoku thought he became confusion when the new host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares mentioned about the new rule and putting them into a team with a partner.

"First team will be Joyoku and Kuzuri. Second team will be Netami and Taidana. And the third and last team will be Ikari and Yoku. Each team will be lead by Joyoku, Netami, and Ikari, of course, after I chose in three groups." he stated.

"What? I'm the leader with that lazy boy?" Netami asked, as she realized that she was teamed with Taidana.

He yawned and replied, "You got the problem with that, Aite-chan?"

Netami became angry when Taidana addresses her, partner, much to her dismay. As she became angry, she began to hurt Taidana, but only her arms to be restrained by Joyoku and Kuzuri from hurting Taidana.

"You really ticked me off, you sleepy brat!" she yelled, while being restrained by the first group.

"Let it go, Netami. Kabuto-san chose you because you and Taidana were the youngest," Joyoku mentioned.

"Yeah, what she said." explained Kuzuri.

"I'm not taking care of that sleepy head if he can't take orders from me!" she replied.

As Netami was restrained by Joyoku and Kuzuri, Taidana yawned. "You know, I don't mind taking orders from you, Aite-chan," he stated. "After all, we have a new challenger with Kabuto-san as a host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

Netami knew that she can't argued with her partner in the second group, chose by Kabuto Yakushi, the new host after Orochimaru gave the nightmare game. She sighed as she realized that she don't have any choices, but to get along with him.

"Yeah. You're right, but on one condition, Taidana," she realized.

"Hm?" Taidana wondered that Netami gave him one condition after she got along with him as her leader.

"Don't sleep if I give you orders during the game," Netami warned with her dark aura, much to Taidana's unamusing and dismay moments with her.

_"What? I can't sleep during the game. That's not fair," _he thought as he became dismay when Netami gave him no sleep during the nightmare game.

_"That's because you always sleep during the game back then, you sleepy brat..." _Netami mentioned in thought as she displeased about Taidana and doesn't like to get along with him as her partner.

"Anyway, be ready for the nightmare game, everyone. After all, time's wasting for the game." Kabuto stated.

As they're ready to leave, Yoku, who became suspicous about the new rules of the nightmare game, hosted by Kabuto. "Hey, one more quesiton... What about Ryoji?" he asked Kabuto as he wondered about the new rules of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

The five nightmares heard that Yoku asked Kabuto about Ryoji before they're leave after Kabuto gave them new rules of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

Kabuto realized that Yoku realized about the new rules of the nightmare game and knew that he had no choice, but to ask.

"What's the matter, Yoku? It seems that you knew about the new rules I created as the nightmare game's host. Don't worry, Ryoji will come at the end of the game. Is something wrong with his attendence?" he stated.

_"At the end of the game?" _thought Yoku.

_"What's Yoku thinking? This isn't like him somehow," _realized Netami.

Ikari realized that Yoku knew about this even Ryoji's absence for the nightmare game and new rules._ "I knew it." _he thought.

Yoku still became suspicous that Ryoji'll come at the end of game, however, he can't let the nightmare game wait for him and his five nightmares. Even his partner, Ikari, of course. "Never mind, the game is waiting for us," he replied.

"Come on, don't just stand here," Netami mocked him in impatiently.

"Alright, alright." Yoku mentioned. He went with the others as the nightmare game already begun.

Kabuto knew about Yoku wondered about the new game which it was strange to himself as a host. Knowing about the game, he won't let that happen if they're going to hurt Yume during stages.

"Oh, well. Those nightmares has nothing important to others. What they want for this game," he realized. "Is no freedom, but only to survive."

Later, Yume realized what happened to this silent, empty location with no anyone here or others who knows this place that she encountered. However, she heard some voices.

"Those voices," she realized.

"Let's get started."

"This strange feeling, the challenger must be punish."

"I'm so jealous. What's going on?"

Yume heard voices as they're talking something strange. "They wanted for something. That's means-"

She realized that Kabuto already became a host of this game and knew that the nightmare game already started. Awakening her Byakugan, she knew that something already happened in this world.

Suddenly, a shadow-like monster ambushed letting her to realize when she heard voices in this location.

_"Those shadows. They're making me to heard them about the game," _she thought. _"That means..."_

Before she enter the to nightmare door, Yume knew that Kabuto already mentioned to her after he used her feelings into emotionless memories.

"I enticed your true feelings into emotionless feelings in order to begin the Seven Stages of Nightmares. And also, I'm a host of the game from now on, my dearest Yume. You're the challenger of this game, but you can't give up once you'll enter the door."

"He already made the rules to this game. I can't give up just yet," she realized.

She used her katana with her right hand to defeat the mystery-like shadows, however, only to let the one of the shadows to transform into a person.

_"What's going on?" _she thought.

A shadow become someone she knows, much to her shock. "What?"

_"Kai-sensei?" _she thought as she confused on a shadow-like person.

A shadow summoned a shadow-like katana which Yume, as his student, before she's going to use it. A battle between Yume and the unknown puppet became difficult stradegy for her, however she have to find a way to break free from the game.


	5. Chapter 4: Rescuing Yume

I added Yori in this story. His decision to rescue his twin sister. By the way, it happened in between Yume was training her new technique, created by their father, Musashi.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Rescuing Yume<strong>

When Yume encountered a shadow with an appearance of her deceased sensei from three years ago, it began to attack her and she blocked the shadow of Kai's katana with her katana, which it belonged to Kai before his death. She realized that her opponent seems different than her former sensei three years ago.

_"It seems strong unlike Kai-sensei three years ago before his death. What is it?"_ she wondered questionably while fighting against a strange shadow as Kai.

She attacked the unknown shadow with her Chakra no Mesu and slashes her opponent which she defeats the unknown shadow creature quickly. However, she sensed that she isn't alone in the unknown place with burnt or broken trees. She uses her Byakugan to find more enemies that she might encounter. Right now, there are fifteen enemies and they're the same creatures as the first shadow that she already defeated. As they encounter Yume, they transform into an appearance of Yume Yukisaki, much to her confusion and shock when she saw fifteen of them of herself.

"What's happening?" she asked to herself as she encounters fifteen shadows-like creatures and knew that she may not defeat them on her own.

While she encounters them, Ryoji finds Yume as he watches her, being outnumbered by her enemies, who tries to attack her while he's behind the broken trees. "Huh? That's the challenger that Kabuto mentioned? I suppose to protect that girl?" he inquired as he wondered that Yume is the challenger of the nightmare game, who is now figthing against the mysterious monsters.

Realizing that she's the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares, he knew that he have to protect her from any harm such as the monsters during the game because he was requested by Kabuto.

"If you fail to protect the challenger, the game will completely end and the challenger would die easily." Kabuto mentioned to Ryoji before he starts looking for the challenger.

"Guess I have no choice, besides... Kabuto already ordered me to protect her from the Akuma Akumu," he sighed, knowing that he have to help and protect Yume.

He uses one of his two red chakrams and throws his red chakrams with his right arm towards five Akuma Akumu while saving Yume, who was now troubled fighting against them. Five Akuma Akuma defeated and disappeared by the hands of Ryoji and Yume surprised that she saw a red chakram with a chakra of flame.

_"This chakra. It's red with flames,"_ Yume stated when she became surprised. _"Did someone save my life?"_

Ryoji came to the monsters and grab his chakram after he destroys five monsters and saved Yume.

"You really want her? Then you have to kill me first," he provoked them as he appears before her after he saved her life and picks up his red chakram after defeating ten of them.

Yume saw an older boy with long spikey red hair, wearing a black sleeveless shirt with a symbol of a red dragon on the back, black fingerless gloves, and long black pants with his red chakrams around his waist, and black sandals and became surprised that he saved her from the monsters.

"Who are you?" she asked to him after he saved her life.

"I'll answer your questions later," he replied as he can't answer Yume's question after he saved her from the monsters. "I'll take care of those Akuma Akumu for you."

"Akuma Akumu?" she inquired when he mentioned the montsers to her.

"Get back. It's going be dangerous if you're with me fighting against these Akuma Akumu." he explained. He began to use his two red chakrams and focuses his chakra. Two chakras of flame and fire infused with two chakrams and Ryoji performs his technique to defeat ten Akuma Akumu.

"Honoo Ougi: Gōka no Chakuramu!"

He threw two chakrams towards ten Akuma Akumu much to Yume's surprise as she watches him defeats ten Akuma Akumu. Two chakrams are thrown towards the Akuma Akumu with flames of hellfire.

Ten of them became defeated by Ryoji's technique, using his two thrown chakrams with hellfire at the same time, and faded away into shadows. Ryoji caught two chakrams as both of them came to him after performing his flame secret technique. He turned around to Yume, realizing that she's not hurt by the monsters.

"You alright?" he asked.

Yume didn't knew that he saved her from nowhere and he has a fire chakra on his two chakrams. She nodded when he's asking her if she's okay after being outnumbered. "Thank you for saving my life." she thanked him.

Ryoji became unexpected and surprised that she thanked him for saving her from those monsters. He knew that she's the challenger that Kabuto was talking about the mystery challenger during the Seven Stages of Nightmares. All the sudden, he saw Yume's forehead protector with a symbol and didn't notice that she's from Konohagakure.

"That forehead protector of yours. You're from Konoha?" he asked, wondering why that Yume is the challenger of the game that he suppose to protect her from any harm such as the Akuma Akumu.

Yume realized that he asks her a question about she's from Konoha because of her forehead protector. "Yes." she answered.

Ryoji confused about why a Konoha kunoichi like her became a challenger of the nightmare game that he's going to protect her and began to ask her something.

"How did you become a challenger of this game?" he asked her about why she's the nightmare game's challenger.

Yume didn't realize when he asked her a question about how did she become the challenger of the nightmare game. She hesitated and knew that Kabuto enticed her to become the nightmare game's challenger by whispering her about the Seven Stages of Nightmare and making her feelings into emotionless to begin the nightmare game. She wondered that he's the one who came here to protect just like he saved her from the Akuma Akumu. "Let me ask my question, first. Are you here to protect me during the game?" she inquired.

Ryoji surprised when she asks him that he came to protect her after saving her from the Akuma Akumu. "How did you know that I'm here to protect you?" he asked.

She can't answer his question about Kabuto told her to find someone that he'll protect her from not being killed by the Akuma Akumu or the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares during the game as she became frantic because Kabuto did to her after she was captured. Ryoji saw Yume's face hesitated and frantic and he wondered that she doesn't want to answer her reason to him.

"You don't have to answer. I think you're scared because you encountered those Akuma Akumu," he mentioned to her, knowing that she felt scared.

"What is this place?" she asked, looking at the land with burnt and broken trees surrounded her and Ryoji.

"Akumu no Kuni," he answered, talking about the place with nightmares where Yume appeared after entering the nightmare door and before he saved her from the Akuma Akumu. "The land without dreams, but nightmares. And also, Akuma Akumu are nightmare demons who can kill humans in their dreams as nightmares. Those monsters are only appeared in this land during the game."

Yume wondered that he might knows about the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares even the Seven Stages of Nightmares. "Um... Before I'll ask you a question, tell me your name," she mentioned to Ryoji. He forgot that he didn't introduce himself to her after defeating ten Akuma Akumu.

"Ryoji, my name's Ryoji..." he introduced to Yume, in a pensive way. "And you are?"

"Yume Yukisaki." Yume introduced to Ryoji, confidently.

"Yume Yukisaki." Ryoji repeated her name. He began to feel nostologic when she told her name to him after he introduced himself. All the sudden, he felt a faint and remembered feeling from her towards him. A ghost of someone appeared within Yume, making Ryoji realized as he knows him back then before he met Yume. A man with long brown hair tied back a few inches above the end and bandages around his forehead, clad in a gray chinese jacket with a Yin-Yang on the right sleeve, white long pants, and black sandals and his appearance strikely resembles to Yume's sempai, Neji Hyuga. A ghost appeared before him after meeting Yume in the Akumu no Kuni, Musashi Hyuga.

_"Huh?" _he thought as he saw Musashi as the ghost, smiling at Ryoji while he's behind Yume. _"Musashi-san?"_

He became hesitating when he saw Musashi's ghost before him. He feels that he remembered Musashi's death sixteen years ago and his two masters, who disappeared from their missions and never come back when he was a shinobi from Inyogakure. He knew that he's reminiscing his past memories before he ran away and became Orochimaru's prisoner and Megami chose him as the eighth nightmare and puppet leader. He closed his eyes, wanting to forget what happen to himself before becoming the eighth nightmare, and Megami entitled his new name, Ryoji.

"Ryoji-san, what's wrong?" she asked.

He heard that Yume asked him something's wrong about him, while reminiscing his former past of his shinobi days in Inyogakure before he became the eighth nightmare and a puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and realized that Musashi's ghost that he saw disappeared, leaving no traces for him.

"No, nothing's wrong." he answered. "We need to go, I'm afraid that the Akuma Akumu are coming after you, Yume. I won't let that happen. After all, I have to protect you."

Yume knew that the monsters Ryoji mentioned about them, Akuma Akumu, are still after her because she's the challenger of the game. "You're right. Let's go." she replied.

Ryoji nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

As they began to start their journey after they first met each other when Ryoji saved Yume's life from the Akuma Akumu, Ryoji became hestitantly confused as he became nostologic about her and Musashi's ghost that he once saw before he forget what happen to himself and his past as an Inyo shinobi.

_"This girl. It feels familiar when I first met her after I saved her from those Akuma Akumu, but I wonder," _thought Ryoji as he's looking at Yume in a nostologic feeling. _"I wonder that Yume was connected to Musashi-san before his death."_

While they're walking in the Akumu no Kuni, Kabuto watches Yume and Ryoji in Akumu no Kuni from the crystal ball while holding it with his right hand. He grinned, realizing that Ryoji saved Yume's life when he found her, who was outnumbered by the Akuma Akumu. He knew that he doesn't want those shadow-like monsters to kill his dearest Yume, although he already chose her as the nightmare game's challenger.

"Thank you for saving my dearest Yume, Ryoji, however," Kabuto thanked Ryoji after he met Yume while saving her from the Akuma Akumu. "how long will you keep protecting her until the seventh and last stage of the nightmare game?"

Suddenly, he saw the young, timid and emotionless boy, who's also watching Ryoji's walking with Yume while protecting her during the game. He's a thirteen year old boy with light brown and short, spikey and slender hair and blue eyes, clad in a white Chinese blouse with blue butterflies as his texture, white long pants, light blue sandals. He worried about Ryoji, who is now protecting Yume in the game of nightmares, and wondered that Yume will complete the nightmare game.

Kabuto knew that he's worried about Ryoji if Ryoji fails to protect Yume during the game. "You seems worried about Ryoji," he stated. "Yumekui."

The young boy hesitated about Yume's fate if Ryoji fails to protect her during the Seven Stages of Nightmares. "She won't die, right, Kabuto-san?" Yumekui asked as he became worried about the new challenger, Yume. "Although Ryoji's now protecting her."

The host chuckled at Yumekui's question about Yume won't die during the nightmare game. "Of course, she won't die, Yumekui." he answered. "You're worried that you'll going to eat Yume's dream when she fails to complete this game. Is that why you don't want Ryoji fail to protect Yume?"

Yumekui became quiet when Kabuto asked his question to him after he explained about the nightmare game and the challenger.

Kabuto knew that Ryoji is very important to Yumekui because he's the one who chose him to take care of Yumekui after his awaken from his creation sleep and he's a created son of Yokami. He was also the created younger brother of Megami, who was also created by Yokami along with him. After he woke up from his creation sleep, he was taken care by Kabuto before he chose Ryoji to take care of him. Yumekui has the ability to eat humans' dreams and nightmares such as Orochimaru's test subjects, who failed to complete the game of Seven Stages of Nightmares after they were killed by Megami's group, the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

He still became quiet and also believes that Yume will complete the nightmare game. He began to leave the room after a short and distant talk with Kabuto and was about to go somewhere alone. "I'm going to my room." he mentioned.

As Yumekui's going to his room, Kabuto began to mention something to him. "By the way," he called Yumekui something about the nightmare game. "You do realize what will happen to my dearest Yume if she fails to complete the nightmare game, did you, Yumekui?"

Yumekui heard about Yume if she fails to complete the game of nightmares. _"What?" _he thought in confusion.

Meanwhile, somewhere at Ayumu's dream shop in Inyogakure, Yori, Yume's twin brother, was in the room, sitting on the bed with his right arm was bandaged, as he became frantic about he failed to saved Yume. "Yume..." he said to himself as he began to remember about how he became wounded and Yume was kidnapped.

In Yori's flashback, he become confused about Yume can't save him during the investigation mission when he was defeated by Kabuto Yakushi. It happened before Yume was kidnapped. Yume and Yori were outside surrounded by trees with autumn leaves where Yori first met Yume before he realizes that she's his twin sister. It happened after Yume confessed Yori about why she didn't save him after he was defeated by Kabuto before she came to save him.

"What? Yume, what are you talking about?" he asked in a confusing way when Yume confessed him that she cannot save him when Kabuto defeated him.

"I'm sorry. I can't save you because... it's my fault," she answered.

"Your fault? Why? Why it's your fault that you can't save me?" he asked once again when Yume said that it was her fault.

She began to answer to Yori's question, "It's my fault because... I'm a—"

"It's not your fault! Don't tell me that you're a hindrance!" yelled Yori.

Yume became shocked that Yori explained to her that it wasn't her fault that she can't save him from Kabuto. Yori saw Yume's face became shocked when he yelled at her and began to apologize.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you for no reason. If anything happens, I'll protect you, Yume." he explained.

Yume became hesitated that Yori will protect her because she's his twin sister and she became worried about why Kabuto hurt Yori back then and explain to him. "Yori, I..."

Before she was about to explain to her protective twin brother, she heard something somewhere from the autumn trees. Suddenly, five unknown shadow-like monsters ambush the twin siblings as they saw them attacking them.

"What are they? How did they know we're here?" he asked.

Yume used her Byakugan on the shadow-like monsters and realized that they aren't human. "They're seems not human." she analyzed on the unknown creatures.

The shadow creatures began to attack Yume and Yori, only one of them uses its shadow as a kunai towards Yume's left arm. Yume felt a quick and slight pain from her left arm when one of the shadows creatures attacked. He realized that Yume got hurt when her left arm bleed slightly.

"Yume!" he shocked.

"I'm okay." she answered.

"Yume, stay here and heal your arm right now. I'll take care of those monsters," he stated. She nodded as she watches Yori fighting against five shadow-like creatures who ambushed them while healing her arm with her Shosen Jutsu. "I won't forgive you for hurting my twin sister!"

He uses his five Yami Bunshins to attack the unknown shadows and defeats the four shadows, however, the fifth and the last shadow defeats Yori's five Yami Bunshins and went towards Yume.

_"What's that shadow up to?" _Yori thought as he became shocked that the last shadow's going after Yume after it defeated his five Yami Bunshins.

As Yume realized that the shadow is going to attack her, she was about to use her one of techniques, but only letting it binds her with its shadow.

Much to Yori's shock, he saw the shadow binds Yume with its shadow, realizing that the shadow is capturing her. "Yume!"

"Yori!" yelled Yume as she was engulfed by the monster's shadow.

He went towards Yume to save her from being engulfed by the unknown creature, who tries to capture her.

"Grab my hand!" Yori told Yume to grab his left hand to pull herself out from the binding shadow. She reaches Yori's arm with her right hand, trying to break free from the shadow creature, who's restraining her.

As she was about to grab his right arm, a shadow restrains him instead, much to Yori's shock.

_"What?" _he shocked as he saw the shadow's grabbing his hand instead of Yume and crushes his arm painfully.

He felt a severe pain from his right arm when it restrained him. Yume became shocked as the shadow hurt Yori's arm. After the shadow hurt Yori's arm, it kicked him away from Yume, who was already become captured. As Yori was kicked away by the attacking and binding shadow, he saw Yume already become engulfed by the shadow after it binded and restrained her. He was about to get up to stop his enemy and save his twin sister, but his right arm was already became wounded due to the shadow injured him. Knowing that he failed to protect Yume, he began to pass out when he watches his unknown enemy disappeared along with Yume, who was imprisoned its shadow.

"Yume..." Yori mutters as he became unconscious after Yume was taken away in front of him.

After he remembered his failure to protect her and what happened to Yume, being captured by the unknown monster, he lifts his head and becomes determined as he made his decision, to rescue Yume.

"Yume, I promise," he promised to himself as he grips his right bandaged hand after he made his decision to save Yume. "that I'll save you. I'll protect you no matter what!"

With his determination and promise to himself, he must face consequences in order to rescue Yume from the unknown kidnapper.


	6. Chapter 5: Kabuto's Intentions

This chapter is only talking about Kabuto's intentions and how did he captured Yume before the beginning of the story. Here's the secret behind this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Kabuto's Intentions<strong>

"By the way," he called Yumekui something about the nightmare game. "You do realize what will happen to my dearest Yume if she fails to complete the nightmare game, do you, Yumekui?"

Yumekui heard Kabuto's talking about Yume if she fails to complete the game of nightmares. _"What?"_ he thought in confusion.

He didn't knew that Kabuto was mentioning about Yume and he can't tell what's his intentions after the end of the game if she fails to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmare He began to wonder what will happen to Yume if she can't defeat the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and complete the nightmare game.

"What did you mean, Kabuto-san?" he asked as he wonders about what will happen to his dearest if she fails to complete the game.

He grinned as Yumekui wanted to know about what'll happen to Yume after the game will end in failure and began to answer his question, "When my dearest fails and the game will end, she won't die."

Yumekui still confused that Kabuto answered that Yume won't die during the game if she fails to complete it.

"She won't die? You mean... you don't want her to die if the game becomes a failure like the former games three years ago?" the young boy inquired. "Is that why you also don't want me to eat her dream as a nightmare?"

"Yes, I won't let that happen if my dearest fails during the game," he remarked. "Besides, I already convinced her about completing the game. If she completes the nightmare game when defeating the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares unlike the past games back then, she'll be free from becoming my precious prisioner."

"What if she fails and she didn't die?" Yumekui asked, curiously.

Kabuto chucked at the curious young boy's question. Grinning deviously, he began to answer his question one last time, "If my dearest Yume fails to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares, she won't die during the game. However... once she fails, she won't escape from me, using her as my precious puppet while becoming my prisoner."

Yumekui became shocked as Kabuto told him his plans to use Yume as his puppet if she fails to defeat the seven nightmares and the game will end completely. As he didn't even realize about the host's intentions to use his dearest as his puppet and prisoner at most, he became quiet after hearing Kabuto's plan to use Yume after she fails and the game end completely. He became more worried about Ryoji, who is trying to protect Yume from danger during the nightmare game, and wondered what will happen to him if he fails to protect the challenger. He can't stop thinking on Kabuto's intentions to use his dearest Yume as a puppet after she won't die when she fails to defeat the seven nightmares and completing the game.

"Are you worry about Ryoji, who's now protecting my dearest Yume during the nightmare game, Yumekui? I understand. If you're worried about Ryoji, he'll be fine," Kabuto stated. "As long as he's protecting her, he won't fail. After all, he is the puppet leader of Megami's six nightmares and the eighth nightmare. So have faith in him if Ryoji's important to you as always."

Yumekui knew that Ryoji is very important to him after Kabuto ordered Ryoji to take care of him back then. He had no choice, but to believe in him. "Okay..." he replied.

After Kabuto revealed his intentions to Yumekui, the young boy walked away slowly from the nightmare game's host and left the room where Kabuto was watching Yume, who's protected by Ryoji during the nightmare game. As the boy walked slowly, he prayed to Ryoji in his mind, telling him keep protecting Yume. _"Ryoji, please protect Yume-san."_

Meanwhile, Ryoji defeated some Akuma Akumu while protecting Yume. He saw Yume became tired from walking in the Akumu no Kuni and tries to find a place to rest for themselves. As he's looking for a resting place, he found a cave. "There's a place to rest, Yume. Let's go over there," he mentioned.

Yume nodded, knowing that she was tired while walking, and went with Ryoji. As they went to the cave, he checked the cave with a fire litted from his left hand to make sure there's no one inside. While checking the cave, he realizes that the coast is clear as he finished looking at it.

"Okay. No one's there in the cave, so rest well." said Ryoji as he finished checking the cave. When they went inside, Ryoji put his fire in midair from his hand while Yume takes her katana from her sash, sits down on the ground, and puts her katana on her lap. As she sat down, she began to fell asleep after she became tired from walking.

Ryoji watches her sleeping as he began to sit down on the ground after Yume is now asleep. He tries to think how Yume was connected to someone he knew back then before he became the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

_"Musashi-san, I wonder that if you're connected to this girl that I have to protect her," _Ryoji wondered as he can't tell that Yume knows about Musashi for some reasons.

As Ryoji watches Yume sleeping when thinking about Musashi connected to her when he first met her, he heard her talking in her sleep.

"Otou-san..." she mumbled as she's trying to go to sleep while she's thinking of her chichiue.

He became confused that who is Yume's otou-san that she was mentioning about him. "Otou-san?" he said in confusion. He knew that something became a little more clear than he imagined while listening to Yume's sleep talk. _"When she wakes up,_ I might ask her something about him_. She might even know about Musashi-san."_

Later, Kabuto, on the other hand, is still in the room where he was talking to Yumekui and told him about his intentions to use Yume as his puppet after she fails to defeat the seven nightmares and complete the nightmare game. While he's still in the room after Yumekui left, he looks at a Ninja Info Card that he once used it three years ago when he disguised as a Konoha Genin during the Chunin exams before the invasion of Konoha.

The card Kabuto is holding it shows the picture of Yume Yukisaki with her status of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, missions with ranks that she completed, and team with no teammates, but her sensei Kai Kurosaki, who is now deceased three years ago.

He knew that Yume was only one who doesn't have teammates, but only her sensei. He knew that he's the one who killed Kai three years ago, leaving Yume received a revenge to kill him. After Yume first met him and failed to kill and defeat him for killing her sensei three years ago, she gave up her former revenge and knew that revenge gave her hatred. However, despite Yume gave up her hatred to kill Kabuto, Kabuto became interested in Yume because of her technqiues as a medical kunoichi and her Byakugan as the Hyuga clan's ally.

While looking at the Ninja Info Card of Yume, Kabuto realizes that Orochimaru knew everything about what he's planning after he kidnapped her by using the Akuma Akumu.

_"Good grief, I can't believe Orochimaru-sama knows what am I planning to use my dearest Yume after I kidnapped her." _he realized, knowing that the Sannin knew everything about his intentions to use Yume as the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

It happened after an Akuma Akumu captured Yume. A shadow went to the unknown hideout where Orochimaru is still training Sasuke in Otogakure. As it came to the hideout, it took Yume out of its shadow. After it let Yume out of its shadow, she already become unconscious after she was captured. However, her left arm bled a little more as she tried to heal her arm before the Akuma Akumu captured her.

Suddenly, Kabuto appeared before the shadow creature with Yume while she's unconscious. He went towards them after the shadow had captured her.

"I see you've done well capturing my dearest that I ordered you. It seems the others were defeated before you captured her," said Kabuto. He saw Yume's blood from her left arm which it was wounded and realizes that the one who hurted her is the shadow who captured her before he came to get her. "However, you failed one part of your mission before you capture her."

Knowing that the shadow fails one condition of its mission, he kills the Akuma Akumu with his Chakra no Mesu from his right hand. As Kabuto kills it for hurting Yume before it capture her, the shadow disappeared.

"I told you not to hurt my dearest Yume while trying to kidnap her." he warned.

After he killed the Akuma Akumu, he looks after Yume, who is still wounded because of her left arm. He unbandaged her bandages, which it was stained with blood on her left arm before she was captured. After he took the blood-stained bandages off from her arm, he heals her with his Shosen Jutsu. He wondered that the Akuma Akumu made Yume unconscious with darkness after he captured her.

_"It seems that the Akuma Akumu made her unconscious with its darkness after capturing her." _Kabuto thought as he realized why she's unconscious.

He finishes healing Yume's arm, but a slight injury without blood still appears. Although he already healed her after the Akuma Akumu kidnapped under his order, he knew that he'll bandage her left arm.

"I'll tend your slight wound as soon as possible, my dearest."

"You kidnapped that girl, did you, Kabuto?"

He heard someone asking him from out of nowhere and turns around to someone who's calling him. He saw Orochimaru came to him after he healed Yume. "Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru saw Yume unconscious as he knew that Kabuto kidnapped her by using the Akuma Akumu. He looked at Kabuto, wondering about what's his assistant's intentions to use her.

"Kabuto, that girl you kidnapped. Her name is Yume Yukisaki, correct?" the Sannin asked him about Yume.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto answered.

"Tell me. You're using this girl, the Ally of the Byakugan, as your puppet, are you, Kabuto?" he asked him again about using Yume as Kabuto's puppet.

Realizing that Orochimaru knew what was he doing, he didn't knew that he kidnapped Yume and was about to her for something.

"Orochimaru-sama... How did you know?" Kabuto wondered as he didn't knew that Orochimaru knows that he was going to use Yume as his puppet.

The Sannin shows a Ninja Info Card to Kabuto and gives the card to him as he began to answer his question. "You dropped this card while you're busy commanding Megami's pets to capture the Hyuga's ally."

Kabuto never knew that he dropped an his Ninja Info Card of Yume Yukisaki while he's busy using Megami's Akuma Akumu to capture the Hyuga's ally. He hesitated as Orochimaru knows everything about what he was doing and kidnapping Yume.

"Orochimaru-sama, can I ask you something?" he asked.

"What is it?" asked Orochimaru.

"I need to use something from you that you once used it and then you became less interested and gave up your former hideout before you chose Sasuke-kun three years ago," explained Kabuto.

Orochimaru realized that Kabuto wants to use something that his challengers survive in one of his former hideout.

"Are you talking about the nightmare game, the Seven Stages of Nightmares, Kabuto?" he inquired.

As Orochimaru mentioned about the nightmare game, Kabuto gave his answer to his master, "Yes."

The Sannin grinned as he chuckled on Kabuto's answer.

"Kabuto, you do know the nightmare game isn't my interest anymore. My useless test subjects failed to complete to the nightmare game when I was a host. As they kept failing, I became less interested, so I gave up the game." the snake Sannin explained his reason.

"But you're the one who created the nightmare game for Megami and her six nightmares, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto stated his reason about the creation of the nightmare game.

"I know," the Snake Sannin replied. "I guess I'll give you my permission to borrow one of my former hideouts if you really want to use the nightmare game. But... which challenger you will choose if you're using the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

Kabuto slightly grinned at his master, knowing that Orochimaru asked him. "My dearest Yume will be the challenger," he answered.

Orochimaru chuckled when Kabuto answered that the challenger will be Yume.

"Kabuto, you choose your dearest girl as a challenger? You do know that the girl won't defeat the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares during the game. If she fails, she'll die and the game will end quickly like the rest of the former challengers." he explained to his assistant.

"I know, but I don't want her to die; I'm using her to complete the game." Kabuto stated.

Orochimaru realized Kabuto doesn't want Yume to be killed in the nightmare game. But yet, he chuckled once again.

"Kabuto, is the Ally of the Byakugan important to you?"

Kabuto went towards Yume, who's still unconscious, and carried her onto his arms.

"Yes, my dearest Yume is very important to me, Orochimaru-sama."

"If she's very important to you, then entice her feelings into emotionless feelings; using her feelings will begin the Seven Stages of Nightmares. After all, you're now the nightmare game's host, Kabuto," the Sannin mentioned. "I'm sure you know this."

"Understood. I'm awared of that, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto replied as he's going to take his dearest to the former place where that was once used by Orochimaru with the nightmare game, the Seven Stages of Nightmares. Before he was about to leave, Orochimaru began to say something.

"Kabuto." called Orochimaru.

The medical-nin stopped as he heard his master calling him.

"It seems that you became interested in her for the first time. I hope you'll use her as a puppet," said Orochimaru, commenting him on his interest in Yume because of her title, the Ally of the Byakugan.

"Actually, I can't use her. The reason is my dearest won't join me and become mine after I first met her," stated Kabuto, knowing that using Yume as his puppet is a difficult task to entice her. "Besides, I know that she can't trust me because I killed someone who was important to her three years ago. But... although my dearest Yume gave up her revenge to kill me and knew that revenge gave her hatred, I'm still interested in her because of her abilities even her Byakugan."

Orochimaru realized Kabuto's reason about using his dearest as a puppet and why Yume cannot trust him because he killed someone who was important to her. He grinned at Kabuto and said, "Well then, do what you want, Kabuto. You're the host of this game."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." he replied as he left, taking his dearest Yume to Orochimaru's former hideout.

After Kabuto remembered about how Orochimaru knew everything about using Yume as a puppet, he put the card on the table and then watching his dearest from the crystal ball that it was on the table. Using the crystal ball, he saw Yume sleeping in the cave along with Ryoji, watching her. He wondered the six nightmares are still looking for her during the nightmare game. Grinning at Yume, he knew that his dearest will complete the nightmare game.

_"Do be careful not to be caught by them, Ryoji. If you do, they'll know that you're a traitor while protecting my dearest challenger."_

With Kabuto's devious intentions for using Yume as his puppet and challenger of the nightmare game, the six stages are still awaits for her and Yume must survive with Ryoji's help.


	7. Chapter 6: A Nightmare

This beginning chapter is about Yume's nightmare. I used this from The Former Hatred. Hope you like it.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: A Nightmare<strong>

Somewhere in the unknown forest, Yume was unconscious while laying on the ground then woke up with confusion. After she woke up, she wondered why she was in the forest with no one around when she didn't realized about how did she got lost and found herself in the forest.

"Where am I?" she asked to herself as she was in the forest unknowingly with no one around came to her encounter and looked around in the forest. She knew that she was alone somehow because no one was with her in this forest and she became confused why she's alone.

_"I don't understand... Why I'm alone in this forest?" _she thought, as she doesn't know why she found in the forest alone.

"It's been a while... Yume."

She heard someone somewhere in the forest and looked around to find where his voice came from. As she looked around, she knew someone's voice so familiar when she heard it somewhere in the forest.

_"That voice! I know this voice, but where did it come from?" _thought Yume as she's still looking and searching around in the forest.

Suddenly, someone appeared with a familiar face as he grinned at Yume. She realized and then shocked as she knew it was Kabuto when his voice who called her in the forest.

"Kabuto!" she shocked as she encountered Kabuto, who appeared before her after she heard his voice.

"I see that you're alone all by yourself, my dearest Yume." Kabuto grinned at her much to her surprise and shock when he addressed her '_his dearest_'.

She became uneasy when he called her '_his dearest_'. She knew that she can't trust him even he killed her sensei three years ago.

"Why did you called me '_your dearest_'?" asked Yume when she was uneased.

He chuckled when Yume asked her question to him as she was trembled and uneased. "You didn't know? You remember what I told you back then? The one I wanted is you." he explained although Yume was confused.

Although she realized, she knew that he want her because she's the Ally of the Byakugan. She looked away from Kabuto knowing that she's still don't trust him just because he wanted her to become his due to her techniques even her Byakugan.

"What's wrong? You still can't trust me, right?" he asked when Yume looked away from him. "I understand. I know that hesitancy is still taken hold of you. Is this because... that you're afraid of being captured by me and become mine?"

Yume shocked when Kabuto realized and explained the reason to her that she's afraid of being taken by him and becoming his due to his interest in her because of her Byakugan and her techniques. As she realized the reason that she was afraid of being taken away by Kabuto, she became more trembled and then turned away from him.

"_Why? Why I'm afraid of being taken away by Kabuto? I don't know why. Even I don't understand._" she thought, confused about being afraid of being taken by Kabuto.

He realized that she still cannot trust him and still afraid of being taken away by him after she turned away from him. He walked towards Yume and then stopped as he was behind her.

"My dearest Yume, you shouldn't be afraid. The more you tremble, the more it won't go away just because you're afraid of being taken away by me," said Kabuto. "Don't worry. I'll make that tremble of yours go away if you want me to."

After he convinced Yume to let him make her tremble go away, he began to touch her left arm much to her displeasure. She felt uncomfortable when he touched her arm after trying to convince her to let him make her tremble go away.

"_Don't touch me._" she thought, uncomfortable from his touch.

Suddenly, as he touched Yume, he turned her around to him and then embraced her much to her greatest shock. Yume shocked when Kabuto embraced her and tried to push him away from her, but his right hand grabbed her wrist from pushing him away.

"There's no need to struggle yourself, my dearest Yume." explained Kabuto, looking at her with a devious grin.

"Let... let go of me..." demanded Yume, who was still uncomfortable as he grinned at her deviously.

"What's wrong? Feeling uncomfortable?" asked Kabuto.

Yume became hesitated when being embraced by Kabuto, who wanted her because of her Byakugan and abilities. She cannot trust him as always even he killed Kai three years ago. She can't resist from becoming his test subject even though she refused because she can't betray her comrades, even Neji.

Suddenly, Kabuto leaned towards to her ear and whispered, "There will be no chances. Even you can't refuse my desire, my dearest."

Much to her shock when Kabuto convinced about there'd be no chances even refusing his request, she can't believe that she won't refuse his request this time. When she can't help herself from refusing his request, she felt a sudden faint feeling as Kabuto knocked her unconsciously only with his left hand while his other hand is grabbing hers. As she began to pass out and her eyes became hazy, she heard his voice telling her.

"There's no escape. You're mine now. A bird in a cage who desires for freedom. However, this time... there will no freedom for you... my dearest Yume."

Suddenly, Yume opened her eyes with a quick gasp as she woke up from her slumber. She panted and panted, realizing that it was a nightmare. She hesitated about why she had a nightmare about Kabuto who was trying to take her away. She confused as she can't tell a problem from her nightmare, being taken away by someone she always hated so much.

_"That nightmare..." _she thought in confusion. _"Why I have a nightmare about him? Why?"_

After she had a nightmare, she realized that Ryoji wasn't here. "Ryoji-san?"

She stood up and began to look for Ryoji after she left from the cave. She looked around, trying to find Ryoji, but she haven't found him at some point. _"Where are you?"_

Suddenly, she saw orange wisps of fire before her and began to follow them. Following the orange wisps, she saw Ryoji training alone surrounded by leafless trees. Wondering what Ryoji's doing alone, she watched him carefully as he trained with his chakrams.

On the other side, Ryoji focused his chakra and performed his fire technique, "Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

He creates fifteen fireballs from his mouth to the sky after performing a fire ninjutsu. As the fifteen of them came towards to the sky, he uses both red chakrams as he performs another technique.

"Honoo Ougi: Kaen Akuma!" Ryoji threw two chakrams to the sky.

After throwing the two chakrams, a flame demon appeared within the two and combined with fifiteen fireballs into a great explosion of fire, much to Yume's surprise.

Yume never knew that Ryoji made a powerful fire explosion for her first time when watching him. She realized that Ryoji never uses his hand seals before he created fifiteen fireballs to the sky. She went to Ryoji after she watched him training.

He caught his two chakrams after the two fell from the sky. After he caught his chakrams as he putted back around his waist, Ryoji stretched his arms up to the air after his hardwork of training, combining his flame demon and fireballs into a fury explosion. Suddenly, he saw Yume came towards as he realized that the challenger woke up already.

"Yume, what you're doing?" Ryoji asked as he saw her after his training.

"I'm been looking for you after I woke up," answered Yume.

"Oh, I see. Sorry about that." he apologized to her.

She shook her head and replied to Ryoji, "You don't have to apologize, Ryoji-san. By the way, you're amazing, combining your fire ninjutsu and weapons into an explosion. I'm impressive."

Ryoji didn't realize that Yume commented his techniques that he was training before Yume came here.

"Um... Thanks." he thanked Yume for commenting his techniques.

Yume saw two charkrams around his waist as she began to wonder about them. Two of them were circular and red, with silver spikes and circles around the edges, and two black handles-shaped like crosses in the middle. Each of them had eight spikes.

"What are those?" she asked.

"Hm, these? They're chakrams and also my special weapons," he answered. "My shisho gave it to me back then. He's a master of ninja tools and also a tool maker."

"Your shisho made those?" she inquired.

"Yeah," he answered. "Until... he disappeared."

Yume shocked that Ryoji's master, who created two chakram, disappeared without a trace for Ryoji, himself.

"I don't know where he is right now even my second shisho," Ryoji explained.

"Your second shisho? You have two shisho before?" she inquired again.

"Yes, she also disappeared along with him." he answered.

"Ryoji-san..." She didn't realized that Ryoji felt lonely because of his two shishos' disappearances. She remembered about her sensei Kai, who was important to her three years ago until he was killed by Kabuto. She knew that Ryoji has the same feeling as hers.

Realizing about his past about himself and his two shishos, she began to remember about her sensei Kai from three years ago before his death. In her mind, she can see an image of Kai, smiling at her.

However, as she was thinking about her sensei, she ended up remembering her nightmare about she was taken away by Kabuto. She became shocked as she stopped remembering about Kabuto.

_"What's going on? Why I'm thinking about Kabuto?" _she thought, wondering about why she was taken away by Kabuto.

Ryoji saw Yume hesitated while she was thinking about Kabuto after she had an image of Kai. "Is something wrong, Yume?" he asked.

Yume heard him asking her a question after she thought about her nightmare of Kabuto, who tries to take her away with him. She asked, "Nothing, nothing's wrong."

He remembers that he has to ask Yume about her connection to Musashi although he knows him before he became the eighth nightmare.

"Um... Yume, can I ask something?" he asked as he began to think about something from Yume.

She became confused, but she was wondering about why Ryoji wanted to ask something.

_"Something feels strange. I don't know why, but... I wonder," _she thought. _"I wonder... what's Ryoji want to know."_

"Do you know the man named... Musashi Hyuga?" he asked, wondering about the man he knew back then.

Yume surprised as Ryoji was asking about her own father, "You know my otou-san?" she asked, wisely.

The red-haired boy completely shocked that Yume answers about Musashi, her own father. _"What?"_

"Musashi-san is your father?" he asked with confusion.

She nodded with realism of confident. "Yes, but... how come... that you knew about my otou-san?" she asked.

"Um... To be honest, you looked familiar after I saved you when I was looking for the mystery challenger. But... you seems that you can't fight them." Ryoji explained with his reason about Yume's connection to her otou-san, Musashi, of course.

The Ally of the Hyuga clan realized about the end of the game, but she knew that he saved her life. _"The mystery challenger?"_

She began to realize that she found someone that he'll protect her, Ryoji, of course. She began to hesitated, but suddenly she sensed something's coming. "Byakugan!"

_"Huh?" _Ryoji saw her eyes began to awaken as she sensed something. A dark snake tried to kill Yume at ease as he saw something behind her. "Look out!"

He carried Yume as he grabbed her in his hands while he's trying saving to her from a dark snake. Yume surprised that Ryoji saved her from the dark snake.

"A snake?" she asked with confusion.

"That's not an ordinary snake! Another Akuma Akumu! Yume, don't be afraid," Ryoji warned. "but don't let your guard!"

Yume didn't realize that she let her guard unpurposely. However, she realizes that awakening her Byakugan to see something's felt strange about the Land of Nightmares. Even she realized about completing the game that Kabuto uses her as a puppet.

"Ryoji-san, please put me down." she said, "This stage is the first nightmare, that snake. We'll work together with your fire ninjutsu and my kekkei genkai if we'll find a way to the next door."

Ryoji realizes that Yume had a plan to find a way to defeat the Akuma Akumu with an appearance of a dark snake. "What are you saying? Huh? Wait, don't tell me... You're the challenger?"

"Yes, I'm the challenger of this nightmare game, but I can't give up or be killed by them until the end of the game!" she answered.

Ryoji became difficult shocked about that the mystery challenger was her after he didn't knew that Kabuto requested to protect her from dying or being killed during the game. However, why a kunoichi from Konohagakure became a challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares, a game of nightmares. He began to confused, but determined to help her. "Okay, but be careful. This snake can senses your chakra and its fangs are poision." he warned.

_"Poison fangs?" _she thought as she have to be careful with the Akuma Akumu of a snake as its appearance. _"Kabuto, what are you planning?"_

She used her katana to attack the snake and made sure that she won't let the Akuma Akumu snake poison her with its fang. She also used her Byakugan to analyze the nightmare snake's chakra and then dodges its attacks. While she dodges the snake's attacks, Ryoji tried to distract the snake by using his two signature chakrams.

"You want her? Then you'll have to go through me!" he provoked as he used his red chakrams.

"Honoo Ougi: Kaen Akuma!"

He summons a flame demon which it was appeared once again with his chakrams. The flame demon distractd the nightmare snake from attacking Yume. The Hyuga clan's ally realized that the flame demon's also protecting her from the snake.

"Yume, now's your chance!" he convinced her.

Yume used her katana and focuses her chakra of wind. "Kazekiri!"

She slashed the nightmare snake with her katana with wind chakra, defeating the nightmare snake at most. She panted as she used her chakra after using her Byakugan.

"Yume," he came to towards her to make sure that she's okay. "You're okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright." she answered as she recovered her chakra and strength.

Suddenly, she saw another door after she defeats the Akuma Akumu as the snake, much to her confusion.

"Could it be... this door is the next stage," Yume wondered.

"Yeah." he answered. "Anyway, we better keep going."

Yume nodded. They went towards to the next door, however, she felt something strange on the next door. She felt two of them are searching for the challenger. She began to hesitate as she sensed something from the door they encountered. Ryoji saw Yume's hesitant face, realizing something's made her hesitating when she sensed from the door.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I sensed two opponents are waiting for me," she answered. "Two of them... from the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares."

Ryoji became surprised, but a litte confused about Yume sensed something the second nightmare door after they defeated the nightmare snake.

_"What? How did she knows about the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares?" _he thought. _"I don't get it. Kabuto told me to protect her from any danger even Megami's nightmares. Something... seems strange."_

Ryoji became confused about Yume and the connection with Musashi and her knowlegde about the game and the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"Don't worry, Yume. I'll protect you at any costs. I won't let them going to kill you," he promised.

"Ryoji-san..." she surprised as he promises her that he'll protect her.

"By the way, my true name... is Yoji." he replied.

Yume didn't Ryoji wasn't his real name, but his actual and true name is Yoji.

"Yoji-san. In that case, I'm counting on you," she suggested.

He nodded. "Yeah."

With a teamwork between Yume and Yoji, what will happened to himself and his secret alias as the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares during the game?


	8. Chapter 7: Yume Retrieval Team

**Chapter 7: Yume Retrieval Team**

Meanwhile at Ayumu's dream shop, Yori prepared to rescue his twin sister although he's protective of Yume. He came to Rika, Pana, Tsukida, Seiichi, and Kuta. They came to the dream shop under Ayumu's order.

Tsukida is the heir of the Yukisaki clan and Okami's son. He is also the cousin of Yume and Yori. He has a rare katana called the Yoshiyuki that is used from father to son for generations. His outfit contains a gray short sleeves shirt, a hakama with his katana around his waist, and black sandals. He has blue eyes and his black hair which it was shoulder-length. He's a Jonin and the son of Okami Yukisaki, the head of the Yukisaki clan.

Rika and Pana are Yume's teammates and they first met her when the Third Inyokage assigned Yume to Team Toshiro after they following her to find information about her as a Konoha kunoichi. Rika is a ninja tool expert and Seiichi's younger sister. Pana is a tomboyish kunoichi and a expert of taijutsu. Two kunoichi are Chunins and known each other since graduation at Inyo Academy.

Kuta is Pana's childhood friend and a teammate of Tsukida. He's a taijutsu expert with dark techniques like Pana. He's a hot-headed and confident boy.

Seiichi is Rika's older brother and also a ninja tool expert. He and Rika owe a sushi and tea shop where their dad owned it.

After Yori is prepared and the group is gathered, Ayumu gave them a mission: to save Yume.

"Thank you for coming, everyone. Even though you seems worried about Yori's condition, but he's fine right now," Ayumu mentioned.

She is the dream shopkeeper and has an abilitiy to predict and see people's dreams as reality. She is a young woman with black medium hair tied in a ponytail with a silver hairpin and wore a Chinese silver dress with a white camellia as her texture.

"I don't understand. Why can't we tell Inyokage-sama?" asked Rika as she became confused.

"I don't want to tell Inyokage-sama because of this situtation. Besides... Kaito told me after he took Yori to my shop." the dream shopkeeper answered.

Yori can't believe that he failed to save her from the unknown monster. Even though that saving her is very priority to him, of course. He have to save her although he promised that he'll protect her.

"So, it's going to be a rescue mission, right?" he asked as he realized about the mission from Ayumu.

Everyone except for Ayumu surprised that Yori asked about mission is going to be a rescue mission that the dream shopkeeper is going to give them.

"Yori, how did you know?" Tsukida asked as he wondered.

He hesitated about answering Tsukida as he knew that he have to save Yume at any cost. Hesitating at his cousin's question, he became silent and didn't gave him an answer.

Tsukida became confused about why didn't Yori reply an answer to him. "Yori?"

Ayumu knew that he was worried about Yume and became determined to save her even it takes consequences for him. She remembers when Kaito told her about what happened to Yori after Yume was kidnapped by a shadow monster.

Before she requested Tsukida and his teammates, and Rika and Pana to come at her dream shop, Kaito told her about what happening to Yume and Yori, who was wounded.

"I see. Yume-sama was kidnapped when Yori-kun tried to save her from the Akuma Akumu," she realized.

"If I had only came to save Yume, I should have stop that shadow." he explained.

Kaito is the dream keeper in Yume no Kuni. He was actually known as Kai Kurosaki, a Konoho shinobi and Yume's sensei. Kai became the dream keeper when his soul was sent to Ayumu's shop. He gave his only wish: to become a keeper of dreams. A reason about his death was that he was killed by Kabuto from his mission, leaving his student on her own while training as a medical kunoichi.

Ayumu realized that Kai, who is known as Kaito the Dream Keeper, was worried about Yume. She began to mentioned him something other than trying to save Yume.

"The important part of your actions is that you took Yori-kun to my dream shop and tended his wound from his right arm," the dream shopkeeper explained to Kai. "You shouldn't be worried about Yume being kidnapped by an Akuma Akumu. So please don't worry, Kai."

Kai understood Ayumu's words and knew that he only saved Yori by tending his left arm which it was wounded from the shadow, who captured Yume.

"I understand. Ayumu, I believe that Yori became determined about saving Yume. Even though he promised himself and her that he'll protect her no matter what." Kai mentioned to her about Yori.

"I see. In that case, I'll send messages to Tsukida-kun, Kuta-kun, Seiichi-kun, Rika-chan, and Pana-kun to come my dream shop for a mission," she suggested.

After her flashback of talking with Kaito, Ayumu began to explain about the mission for everyone.

"Please listen. This will be a rescue and retrieval mission. It's simple. All you have to do is to rescue Yume-sama from the unknown kidnapper," she explained.

"I can't believe that Yume-san was kidnapped," Tsukida didn't realized about his twin cousin was kidnapped.

"So how can we save her without a location that where is she now?" asked Kuta.

"With this," Ayumu answered.

She showed the door to them, much to their suprise except for Yori, who didn't react when he saw the door.

"What's that door?" Rika asked, curiously.

"This door will lead to the place called Akumu no Kuni, the land with nightmares," answered Ayumu.

"Akumu no Kuni? The land with nightmares? Does that means... this land is dangerous," Seiichi asked, cautiously.

"Yes, those monsters you'll fight against are the Akuma Akumu. They can only eat people's dreams," Ayumu answered.

"Akuma Akumu." Pana replied.

The dream shopkeeper nodded in agreement and explained the information about the Akuma Akumu. "Those monsters have an ability to transform into shinobi's appearance even animals. They're only appeared in the Akuma no Kuni."

Yori began to wonder about the Akuma Akumu kidnapped Yume before he passed out. He can't think why the Akuma Akumu were after his twin sister. Confusing about why the monster captured Yume all the suden, he began to calm down as he was not going to be worried about her.

_"Akuma Akumu?" _he thought as he began to wonder._ "Is this mean an Akuma Akumu is that monster who kidnapped Yume? Why did it kidnapped her?"_

Ayumu saw Yori's determined face and knows that he has a strong will to save and rescue Yume from the unknown kidnapper. She knew that Yori is different to his twin sister because Yume has a kekkei genkai like their father, Musashi Hyuga. He never have a Byakugan like her despite they're twins.

"Listen, don't be killed by those Akuma Akumu. Do you understand?" she warned everyone about the Akuma Akumu.

"Yeah," Kuta answered in a confident way.

"We'll be careful," answered Seiichi as he nodded to Ayumu.

Rika became worried about what'll happen to Yume after she was kidnapped all the sudden. She knew that Yume is important comrade and leader of their team excluding their sensei. Their team was called YuRiPa and Yume is the leader of their team while Toshiro was doing important missions on solo.

"Rika, what's wrong?" Pana asked as she saw Rika's face became depressed.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I was... worried," Rika answered in a difficult mood.

"You shouldn't be worried. We'll save Yume together, no matter what happens." Pana explained to Rika as she's trying to cheer her up.

Rika knew that they'll save Yume together as she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right, Pana."

"And also, Kazekiri will protect you from any harm in Akuma no Kuni even the Akuma Akumu." Ayumu mentioned to them.

Kazekiri came to Yori and the others when she was summoned by Ayumu. She's a spirit of wind in a form of a kunoichi clad in a white medium kimono, a gray obi around her waist, white tabi, and sandals. Her gray hair is long and straight to her waist. She also has a katana strapped over her back. She is silent kunoichi and she can defeat her opponents with no hesitation.

"I'll look after you from now on. If you need help, tell me," said Kazekiri.

"Okay," replied Tsukida.

"All right, now's the time to rescue Yume." Ayumu convinced. "Good luck and be careful."

Everyone nodded and they went towards the door to the Akumu no Kuni. The door was opened itself for everyone and they went inside of it. As they went inside, the door was closed itself and disappeared. Ayumu knew that this mission is very dangerous for Yori and the others.

"Everyone, please come back after you saved Yume-sama." she prayed for them.

With Yori and the others recusing Yume, they must survive in Akuma no Kuni where nightmares become reality and face consequences that await them.


	9. Chapter 8: The Eighth Nightmare

**Chapter 8: The Eighth Nightmare**

Meanwhile, Yoji and Yume entered the door to the next stage of the nightmare game. As they entered, they found themselves in a town in Akumu no Kuni. It was abandoned where there are no people around here. Yume became confused when she didn't see people around this abandoned town.

"It's still the Akumu no Kuni," Yoji explained. "That's why the game is only for the challenger."

"You mean no one's here in this town?" Yume asked curiously.

"Yeah." he answered. "Anyway, we better be careful. This town is kinda dangerous."

"Okay," she replied.

They began walking to the town that was emptied where there are no people lived there in Akumu no Kuni. Suddenly two of them from the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares became shocked, but more confused when they saw Ryoji, who is with Yume.

"That's odd." said Joyoku when she saw Ryoji.

"What's odd, Joyoku?" Kuzuri asked curiously.

"Why Ryoji was with that girl? I don't understand." she wondered.

"Should we ambush them?" he asked again.

"Not yet. All we have to do is keep watching them until we'll attack." Joyoku answered.

"Okay," he replied to Joyoku.

Joyoku analyzed Yume and began to realized that she's the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"Let's see. This girl must be the challenger of this game. I never knew that she's from Konoha." she realized when she stared at Yume's forehead protector.

"Hey, Joyoku. Can I eat her after we defeat the challenger?" he asked.

"We'll find out, Kuzuri. Be patient." Joyoku told him.

While they watched the two walking in the town, Yoji wondered about how Yume became the challenger of this game. He hesitated as he realized that she's the one that he have to protect her.

_"Kabuto said that I have to that protect the challenger. Of course, the challenger is Yume," _he thought as he began to think about why he has to protect Yume. _"but why?"_

He began to talk to her about how did she became the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"Hey, Yume," he called her.

She heard that Yoji is calling her and began to ask him something, "What is it, Yoji-san?"

Yoji hesitated when he tries to ask her as the nightmare game's challenger. He can't tell that the challenger is really Yume after all when Kabuto ordered him to protect her during the game.

"How did you became a challenger of this game, Yume?" he asked.

All the sudden, Yume became unknowningly surprised when he asked about she became the nightmare game's challenger. She didn't knew that he wanted to know about becoming the challenger of the nightmare when Kabuto enticed her feelings into emotionless feelings in order to begin the game.

"I became the challenger... when my true feelings became emotionless," she answered.

Yoji confused when she answered that her true feelings became emotionless feelings. He can't tell about why Yume's feelings became emotionless.

"You became the challenger of this game when your true feelings became emotionless? How?" he asked.

She hesitated about her emotionless feelings became enticed by Kabuto. She knew that she can't give up or get killed by the Akuma Akumu or the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"Someone used me to become the challenger of the game when using my feelings to become emotionless in order to begin the nightmare game," she explained.

"Who used you to become the challenger?" he asked.

She shocked when Yoji asked her who used her to become the nightmare game's challenger which it's Kabuto, of course. She never knew that he would ask that who used her as the challenger as she became not sure to answer his question. She remembered that Kabuto used her and her feelings to become emotionless by whispering to her while enticing her.

"According to Orochimaru-sama before he gave up as he became less interested, this hideout was known as the **Seven Stages of Nightmares**," he whispered to entice her.

When she heard about the Seven Stages of Nightmares, she felt strange emotions as Kabuto enticed her to became emotionless and became unconscious as she became the challenger.

After she remembered what happened to herself as the challenger, she began to answer his question as she decided.

"Kabuto used me to become the challenger," she answered.

_"What?" _thought Yoji as he shocked when she answered that it was Kabuto who used her as the challenger by enticing her faint feelings into emotionless feelings.

He never knew that Kabuto used Yume as the challenger and can't believe that the host told him to protect the challenger which it was Yume all along. He can't tell about Kabuto's plans to use her during the game.

"He used you to become the challenger?" he asked.

Yume surprised that Yoji knows Kabuto and became confused when he asked her that Kabuto used her as the challenger.

"You know him?" she inquired.

Yoji shocked that he blurted it out when he asked her about Kabuto. He began to reply to her about knowning Kabuto. He knew that he can't tell her that he knows him because he's the eighth nightmare. He hesitated and began to answer, "No, I don't know him."

He knew that he tries to lie to Yume from knowing about Kabuto and being the eighth nightmare and puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

_"I can't believe that I've to lie to her." _he thought as he knew that he lied to Yume all the sudden.

"You don't know him? I see." she realized. However, she became suspicious when Yoji answered that he didn't know Kabuto for some reasons. _"Yoji-san, are you lying? If you know Kabuto, then tell me why."_

Suddenly, she heard something around the abandoned town and activated her Byakugan. She saw ten Akuma Akumu coming towards her and Yoji.

"They're coming." warned Yume.

"I know." Yoji replied.

As they prepared to fight, ten shadows attacked them with shadow-like shurikens. Yume dodged them with her Byakugan and then uses her Juken on five Akuma Akumu. Yoji uses his fire technique on the other five.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" He summons five fireballs on the Akuma Akumu and destroys them very quickly.

As Yoji defeats five Akuma Akumu, Yume destroys the other five with her Juken as well. She deactivated her Byakugan after defeating the Akuma Akumu.

"Yume, you okay?" he asked as he realized that she defeated Akuma Akumu.

"Yeah." she answered as she nodded.

Suddenly, Yoji shocked as he saw Kuzuri ambushing Yume as he's behind her while Yume didn't notice. He quickly went towards her and protects her as he kicked Kuzuri with a side kick as a counter-attack.

Yume didn't realize and notice that someone is trying to attack her.

"Ow!" Kuzuri yelled in pain when he got kicked.

_"Damn, I can't let him kill Yume!" _Yoji thought as he can't tell the Kuzuri was attacking her.

"That really hurt, Ryoji..." Kuzuri complained after he got kicked by Ryoji.

Yoji became tensed about fighting Kuzuri while protecting Yume as the nightmare game's challenger.

"Oh my, you're very harsh when kicking Kuzuri, Ryoji-kun." Joyoku commented Yoji as she appears before him and Yume.

"Yeah," mentioned Kuzuri.

Yume surprised, but more confused when Joyoku and Kuzuri were talking to Yoji. _"What? They know Yoji-san?"_

Joyoku began to wonder about why Yoji with his alias, Ryoji, was with Yume all the time instead of attending in the game to kill the challenger.

"Ryoji-kun, please explain. Why you're with this girl who is the challenger of this game?" she asked curiously.

He became silent, but hesitated about answering her question. He began to reply to Joyoku after he stops hesitating.

"I can't answer your question, Joyoku." he explained.

"Well then. If you don't answer my question, then you leave me no choice," Joyoku realized. "Kuzuri. Attack him."

"Right," he replied.

Kuzuri began to attack him with a quick speed. Yoji shocked that Kuzuri attacked him and blocked Kuzuri with his chakrams.

"Yoji-san!" Yume yelled for him. She went to help him, but Joyoku stops her with her black long hair when it was extending. When Joyoku's extending hair attacked Yume, the Hyuga's ally dodged. "What?"

"I'm your opponent. I won't let you stop him from fighting Ryoji-kun right now." Joyoku stated.

She became tensed that she cannot help Yoji when he's fighting against Kuzuri. Realizing the situation, she confused about why Joyoku and Kuzuri knew Yoji under the name of Ryoji.

"How did you know Ryoji-san?" the Hyuga's ally asked suspiciously.

"You mean you don't know about him?" Joyoku realized as Yume asked about Ryoji. "How very sad. A Konoha kunoichi like you should know about Ryoji-kun."

"What do you mean?" Yume asked.

"Oh, you really want to know why? Ryoji-kun is the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and the eighth nightmare," she answered. "You do know that he supposed to be your opponent in the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

Yume didn't realize that Yoji is the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and also the eighth nightmare.

"He's the eighth nightmare?" she inquired.

"Yes, I don't know why he's with you just now, but I still have to kill you right now according to the rules," Joyoku explained.

She used her extended hair to attack Yume as her hair went towards her. Yume flinched as she activated her Byakugan and dodged Joyoku's extending hair flowing after her. Joyoku surprised as she didn't realize that Yume has a Byakugan when she activated.

"Well, what a suprise. I didn't know that a challenger like you have a kekkei genkai," she comments Yume. "But I wonder, can you dodge my technique with your Byakugan?"

"We'll see about that. I won't lose to the likes of you." replied Yume as she uses her Juken as she's prepared to fight Joyoku.

"Go ahead and try then." Joyoku provoked her.

While Yume fights against Joyoku, Yoji, on the other hand, is fighting Kuzuri. He throws his chakrams at Kuzuri, but Kuzuri dodges them. He became tenseful when fighting against Kuzuri.

"Hey, what's wrong, Ryoji? Come on, is that all you got?" said Kuzuri, provoking him.

"I'm not done yet!" Yoji told him after he catched his two chakrams when they came back towards him.

Kuzuri uses his technique when he's going to attack Yoji. "Ninpo: Hakko Sensha!"

He turns into a flash-sized ball and rolls towards Yoji with shock. While Kuzuri in flash ball form towards Yoji, Yoji uses his chakrams to summon his flame demon to aid him to defeat Kuzuri.

"Honoo Ougi: Kaen Akuma!"

He summons the flame demon with his chakrams after performing the technique. The flame demon attacked Kuzuri with his left claw, rendering his technique as a counter-attack. Kuzuri got counter-attacked and became defeated by Yoji.

"I can't believe I'm defeated..." Kuzuri realized as he's laying on the ground.

"You deserve it." he responded to Kuzuri.

However, the defeated Kuzuri merely smirked at him and began to tell him something, "Is that so? If I were you, Ryoji, I wouldn't let my guard down."

"What are you talking about?" Yoji confused as he asked him about letting his guard down purposely. All the sudden, he heard a scream from the other side after Kuzuri warned him not to let his guard down. "Huh?"

He turned around and became shocked when he saw Yume in the air, restrained and strangled by Joyoku's hair as her technique. Her hair binds Yume's hands and feet. Yoji didn't realize that Yume was binded by Joyoku and he knew that he have to save her.

"That was quick. This is my first time fighting a kunoichi from Konoha like you, ojou-chan," she stated with a lustful smile. "Three years ago, I killed Orochimaru's test subjects as always. Well, although I did restrained you with my beautiful and delicate hair, I guess I could kill you any time now."

She begins to strangles her neck with her hair viciously after she binded her already. Yume can't breathe as she's being choked when Joyoku's hair strangled her neck.

_"I can't... breathe..." _Yume thought.

Suddenly, two chakrams cut Joyoku's hair to free Yume from being suffocated. Much to Joyoku's shock, she realizes that Ryoji came to save Yume when he cut her extending hair. Joyoku's locks of hair became fragile and the unconscious Yume freed herself and fell down to the ground. When she's falling after being restrained by Joyoku's technique, Yoji ran towards her and caught her in his arms.

Yume recovered her consciousness and realized that Yoji saved her when she found herself being carried in his arms.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," Yume thanked him for saving her life.

After he saved Yume as he cut the lustful kunoichi's hair, Joyoku became angry when her hair became shorter above her shoulders. She can't believe that he tries to save Yume after her hair was ruined.

"How dare you! I can't believe you cut my precious hair!" she angered as she blamed Ryoji.

"Sorry, but I won't let you hurt her," he explained to Joyoku.

"Why are you doing this then? You do realize that you're the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare." she mentioned to him.

"I know," he confirmed. "But this time, it's different right now. I'm protecting her from now on."

Joyoku became displeased when he told her that it's different because he's protecting the challenger for no reason.

"Who ordered you to protect her?" she asked with anger when she confused about him as the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares, protecting the challenger.

The red-haired shinobi knew that he cannot explains his reason to Joyoku. He knew that he must protect Yume at any costs even he may be a traitor or not.

"That's none of your business," Yoji answered.

After his talk with Joyoku, he left as he took Yume somewhere safe, leaving Joyoku and Kuzuri defeated.

"How could he..." snarled Joyoku.

"Hey, Joyoku. Do you think that Ryoji is the traitor right now?" Kuzuri asked, wondering about Yoji.

"I'm not sure, but... he'll pay for ruining my beautiful hair," she answered as she recovered her hair by using her technique that makes her hair grow. Her hair wasn't short anymore and it became long once again.

"Should we go after them?" he asked.

"No. After all, Ryoji-kun already defeated us." she explained, brushing her long, recovered hair after performing her technique.

"What? Ryoji defeated you two!"

Suddenly, Joyoku and Kuzuri saw Netami and Taidana when they heard Netami's voice. Netami didn't knew that Ryoji defeated Joyoku and Kuzuri, and became confused about Ryoji.

"Netami, Taidana." Joyoku saw Netami and Taidana came towards her and Kuzuri.

"Is that true? He defeated you and Kuzuri?" Taidana inquired.

"That's right." Kuzuri answered.

"That's impossible! There's no way Ryoji defeated you!" Netami objected.

"But he did defeated us, Netami," stated Kuzuri.

"You're saying that Ryoji is the traitor right now?" asked Taidana, curiously.

"Maybe," Kuzuri guessed.

"So, where is he then?" asked Netami.

"He left," answered Joyoku. "If you want to know why, then go after him."

Netami became displeased when she heard that Ryoji, the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader, defeated Joyoku and Kuzuri. She became annoyed when Ryoji presumably betrayed them.

"I don't believe this." Netami realized. "Come on, Taidana. Let's go after him."

"Yeah, yeah." the lazy shinobi replied.

Before Netami and Taidana began to leave to find Ryoji, Joyoku began to talk to Netami.

"Before you go after Ryoji-kun, there's something I must tell you." Joyoku reminded Netami and Taidana.

"What is it?" asked Netami.

"Before Ryoji-kun defeated us, we found the challenger," answered Joyoku.

Netami wondered who is the challenger of this nightmare game although she became excited before the beginning of this game.

"Oh, don't tell me, another Orochimaru-sama's test subject again?" Netami implied.

"No, not another Orochimaru-sama's test suject again. This time, the challenger is a kunoichi from Konoha," she explained.

The ninja tool expert and the lazy shinobi became confused when Joyoku answered that the challenger is a kunoichi from Konohagakure. They can't tell that what Joyoku told them is true or not.

"You're kidding, right?" Taidana yawned.

"No, I'm not kidding. I'm telling the truth," Joyoku stated.

"A kunoichi from Konoha, huh? I never knew that she's the challenger this time." Taidana didn't realized.

"Well, Ryoji-kun is protecting her just now." the lustful kunoichi mentioned.

Netami became shocked when Joyoku told that the puppet leader is protecting the challenger which was Yume. She didn't realize that Ryoji really protects the challenger for the whole time while he didn't attend the nightmare game for no reason.

"What did you say? He's protecting the challenger!" Netami asked as she became confused.

"Yes, I believe that's why he didn't attend the nightmare game," Joyoku confirmed.

"Then why? Why he's protecting that kunoichi?" Netami shouted with rage.

"I don't know. When I asked Ryoji-kun, he didn't answer. Even he didn't tell me who ordered him to protect the girl," she discussed.

Netami became angry about Ryoji protecting the challenger for unknown reasons. "Tsk. When I find him, I'll make him answer by force."

"Just be careful, Netami. Don't force yourself while fighting against our puppet leader," Joyoku warned her.

"I know that," Netami replied.

As Netami finishes talking with Joyoku, she and Taidana began searching for Ryoji and Yume. Joyoku sighed as she watched them leave. She knew that she didn't told her about Yume and her Byakugan. _"Oh well, I'm sure she'll realize when she's going to fight the girl with the eyes of the Byakugan."_

Meanwhile, Yoji carried Yume in his arms while taking her to her a safe place. While finding a safe place, he saw an abandoned place and took her there. He entered the place which was empty while carrying Yume. He saw a bed near by the door where he's standing. He put Yume down, making her to sit on the bed.

Yume became confused when she didn't realize that Yoji is the eighth nightmare and a puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. She hesitated when she don't know why he's helping and protecting her during the game.

"Yoji-san... Please tell me." said Yume as she became hesitant. "Why you didn't tell me that you're the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare?"

Yoji shocked that she wanted him to tell her about his reason as the eighth nightmare. He never knew that she asked him this surprising question before.

"Yume, how did you know?" he asked.

"Joyoku told me about you," Yume answered.

He didn't realize that Joyoku told Yume about him as the eighth nightmare. He became unsure if he have to explain her.

"I guess you found out about me already. Okay, I'll tell you," he finally decided to tell Yume.

With Yoji's secrets, what is his true reason as the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and protecting Yume during the nightmare game?


	10. Chapter 9: Yoji's Hidden Past

**Chapter 9: Yoji's Hidden Past**

Somewhere in the forest at the Akumu no Kuni, Yori appeared unconscious. He regained his consciousness and realized that he got separated from the others while rescuing Yume when he found himself. He looked around to search for them, but there's no one here right now.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"You're finally awake," Kazekiri surprised as she's kneeling besides Yori.

He realized that Kazekiri was with him all the time while he's unconscious. "Kazekiri-san. What happened? Where's everyone?" he asked.

"I'm afraid we got serapated from the others, Yori." answered Kazekiri.

He began to remember how did he and Kazekiri got serapated from the others. "Could be it..."

Before it happened, the Inyo shinobi and Kazekiri came to the Akumu no Kuni and saw a deserted place where there are only broken and burnt trees.

"So, this is the Akumu no Kuni Ayumu-san was talking about," said Rika.

"Feels like it already became deserted." Kuta commented on the nightmare land.

"There's no time to waste, everyone. We have to proceed our mission," stated Kazekiri.

"She's right. We can't stand here right now." Seiichi explained.

"Let's go. We don't have much time..." Yori told everyone to move on.

Everyone became worried about Yori being silent and complicated after they arrived. They began to wonder what happened to Yori when this isn't his usual self somehow.

"Hey. You okay, Yori?" asked Kuta.

Yori didn't answer Kuta's question and began walking.

"What's wrong with Yori-kun just now?" Rika asked as she confused about Yori's complicated look on his face.

Pana shrugged herself as she's not sure about what's wrong with Yori.

Tsukida became extremely worried about his twin cousin and realized that Yori can't save Yume from the unknown kidnapper. He knows that Yori always protect Yume when he realizes that he had a twin sister eversince he met her. _"Yori."_

Suddenly, he sensed something's appoarching him and the others. He saw a strange dark whirlwind coming towards them much to his shock. The Yukisaki heir began to warn them after he saw the whirlwind.

"Everyone! Something's coming," yelled Tsukida.

Everyone even Yori heard Tsukida calling them and became shocked as they saw it comes toward them.

"What the...!" Kuta shocked. "What is that!"

"Everyone! Be careful. It's coming towards us!" Kazekiri warned them.

However, all the sudden, the Inyo shinobi and Kazekiri felt something strange when their bodies didn't move an inch. Yori realized that they can't move away from the dark whirlwind.

_"What? I can't move," _thought Yori.

As he knew that they can't move, he knew that it was too late as the whirlwind engulfed them, separating them apart. After Yori remembered what happened, he knew that he have to find Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana while rescuing Yume although Kazekiri is with him from now on.

_"Don't worry. I'll find you guys. I promise," _he promised as he was sure about finding them after being separated from the whirlwind. He began to worried about what will happen to Yume if she was already kidnapped. He stops worrying and begins searching for Tsukida and the others. _"Yume. Please be alright."_

Meanwhile, at the abandoned house where Yoji kept Yume safe, Yume realized that Yoji is about to tell her why he's the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the seven nightmares.

"Remember I asked you about Musashi-san?" he asked.

Yume nodded.

"To be honest... I was an Inyo shinobi before I became the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader," he explained.

Yume became surprised as she didn't knew that Yoji was an Inyo shinobi.

"You're from Inyogakure?" she asked with a surprise face.

"I was an orphan back then when my parents were killed during the war. I was found by Musashi-san and his two teammates, Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho," he said. "They became my two shishos when I became a shinobi."

She didn't realize that Seirin and Shaolin are Yoji's two shishos before they disappeared. Seirin is the ninja tool expert and Rika and Seiichi's otou-san while Shaolin is the dark taijutsu expert and Pana's guardian. They disappeared during their long-term mission and returned to Inyo when Yume stayed at Inyogakure.

"They're your two shishos?" she inquired, wondering.

"Yeah, but... things changed. They disappeared during their mission. So I ran away." he answered.

"Why did you ran away?" Yume asked.

"They never came back," Yoji explained.

Yume knew that Seirin and Shaolin did came back from their long-term missions when she was training under Yoshiro. "There's something I need to tell you." she said. "Seirin-san and Shaolin-san... They came back after you ran away."

Yoji surprised when he heard from her that his two shishos came back from their long-term mission after he defected from Inyo.

"What? They came back?" he asked all the sudden.

She nodded.

Yoji became surprised that his two shishos finally came back and glad when he heard about them from Yume. Despite this, he knew that he already left Inyogakure and didn't see them again at all after he became the eighth nightmare.

_"I guess... I don't know what am I going to do. It's already too late," _he thought.

He became pathetic because he made everything worse such as becoming the eighth nightmare.

"It's all my fault... I'm so stupid," he comments to himself.

Yume heard him saying that he became naive and blamed himself for running away.

"For three years... I never thought that I can't come back because of this... I already became the eighth nightmare, so... there's no turning back."

"Yoji-san..." Yume didn't realize.

Yoji remembered that Yume wants to know about how he became the eighth nightmare. "Hey, you want to know why I became the eighth nightmare, right?"

Yume surprised that Yoji asked about him as the eighth nightmare. "Yes."

He took a deep breath and began to tell her about himself as the eighth nightmare.

"After I left and ran away from Inyogakure, I was training alone until... I was kidnapped." he began to tell his story.

It happened three years ago after Yoji ran away from Inyogakure when he heard that Seirin and Shaolin didn't return from their long-term mission. After he defected, Yoji was training alone in the forest near a river in the middle of the night.

He was eighteen years old and wears a black shirt with short sleeves, a black short jacket, black long pants, bandages in both arms, and black sandals. He throws his two chakrams with flames around the trees and then caught them after the two of them spun around. After he caught his chakrams, the trees are cutted down and burned with flames. While they're burning, they turned into ashes.

Yoji putted his chakrams around his waist and began to take a break from his solo training. He went towards to the river while taking a break and knelt down as he began to wash his face. After he finished washing his face, he began to wonder about what Seirin and Shaolin are doing on their long-term missions, never return to Inyogakure. He became frantic about their disappearance.

He remembered about their disappearance when the Third Inyokage told him before he defected from Inyo.

"What? They never come back? Why? What did you mean they _disappeared_, Inyokage-sama?" he asked.

"I'm very not sure about what happened to Seirin and Shaolin." explained the Third Inyokage. "We're still searching for them, but we cannot find any traces from them."

"That's impossible!" yelled Yoji. "There's no way that Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho disappeared like that!"

"Calm down, Yoji," he replied. "We'll try to find them if necessary."

"Then, let me look for them! They're my shishos!" Yoji complied.

"I won't let you do that," the Inyokage refused Yoji's request with a displeased face. "I don't want a Jonin like you disappear like Seirin and Shaolin. That is unnecessary for you to find them."

Yoji began to protest, "But..."

"That's enough. Yoji, I know it's difficult, but I can't give you that mission to find your shishos." he explained.

Yoji became shocked when the Third Inyokage can't let him to find Seirin and Shaolin after their disappeared during their mission. After the Third Inyokage rejected his request, he became disappointed, which led him to become anti-social once again and achieved his defection.

After remembering his talk with the Third Inyokage, he looked down in a complicated way. He looked at his two red chakrams and knew that those are very important to him as he remembered that Seirin gave those as a gift before he and Shaolin disappeared and Yoji left Inyo.

It happened when he was a Chunin after he passed the exams from five years ago. Seirin gave Yoji a special present after he became Chunin.

"Here, they're very special, ya know," said Seirin as he gives the two weapons to his student.

"What're those?" Yoji asked, very curiously.

"Those are chakrams," answered Seirin. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Yoji grabbed the two red chakrams and then realized that the two of them were heavy at some point. "Seirin-shisho, they're kinda heavy."

"No worries. You'll get used to it. When you get older, it won't be heavy." he answered.

"Seirin, you sure gave Yoji a special gift after he already became Chunin." said Shaolin with a faint smile.

"Well, he needs something special after all." he explained.

"Thanks, I'll use them and keep them good." Yoji thanked him.

After he remembered about his time with Seirin and Shaolin, he sighed as he knew that he can't go back to Inyo.

_"Seirin-shisho, Shaolin-shisho. Where are you right now?" _he thought as he worried about them.

Suddenly, kunai are thrown at Yoji much to his shock. He dodged the kunai that were targeting at him out of nowhere. He knew that it's an ambush and looked around somewhere in the forest. As he looked around, he began to realize that he was surrounded. Who tried to kill him with kunai that were thrown? Twenty shinobi appeared and surrounded Yoji out of nowhere, making him being outnumbered by them.

_"Tsk... I'm trapped," _he realized.

"Good job dodging from the kunai, but you won't live for the moment," stated the unknown shinobi.

Yoji saw one of the shinobi's forehead protector as he began to realize the symbol. _"Otogakure? Are they trying to kill me all the sudden?"_

"Surrender right now," the Oto shinobi demanded Yoji. "or you'll be killed by one of us."

Yoji began to prepare himself to fight them as he used his chakrams. "Go ahead and try." he provoked.

The Oto shinobi attacked him with their kunai as they're going to kill him. He used his chakrams and threw them towards his opponents, making them defeated very quickly. Shinobi of Oto never knew that Yoji could defeat them with just only a single attack on them.

"Impossible..." said the Oto shinobi as he became dead after being defeated by Yoji.

Yoji putted his chakrams around his waist after defeating the Oto shinobi in a quick battle. He knew that staying here isn't a good timing after he encountered the shinobi from the another village.

"Better get going before anyone comes and probably might kill me any moment," Yoji stated.

Suddenly, he sensed something amiss before he was about to leave. A strange shadow-like creature appeared and transformed into a human figure. Yoji became cautious when it transformed into shinobi. As a shadow became a shinobi, the red-haired boy became shocked as he saw the shadow figure of himself.

_"What is that? Why it looked just like me?" _he confused as he was now fighting a shadow with his appearance.

Somewhere, a mysterious shinobi appeared on the cliffs above the river, watching Yoji encountering the shadow-like opponent.

Yoji attacks his shadow-like opponent by throwing his chakrams once again. The shadow blocked with its chakrams by also throwing them. Both pair of chakrams are blocked and thrown back, returning to their owners. Yoji became tensed on fighting his strange and complicated opponent. He knew that he had no choice, but to defeat it.

As the battle continues, he began to use his flame technique with his chakrams to defeat his shadow-like opponent.

"Honoo Ougi: Gōka no Chakuramu!"

He threw his chakrams with flames of hellfire at the shadow. Flames burned the shadow-like opponent completely, making the shadow disappeared. He caught his chakrams after performing his flame technique and putted them around his waist. He panted as he began to realize that he used all of his chakra due to his training before he encountered the Otogakure shinobi and the shadow-like opponent who used his appearance. He knew that he have to leave before anyone finds him.

_"Damn it. I used all of my chakra already. I have to get out of here right now," _he thought as he was about to leave.

However when he leaves, he began to knelt down to the ground, making him immobile from leaving the battlefield.

"Very impressive. You're very strong enough for taking them down, but don't force yourself. You'll make a difficult battle if you wasted your chakra after you used your techniques."

Yoji saw a man with circular glasses appeared in front of him while he was on the ground. He knew that he can't escape after he encountered him. He stood up and began to fight against him as he realizes that the man with circular glasses is a shinobi from Otogakure when he looked at his forehead protector.

"Tsk. There's more?" Yoji inquired if he's going to fight again. Despite he used all of his chakra, will he ever defeat him without using his techniques?

"I'm not here to fight you, but you're a very interesting shinobi."

"Back off," he snarled at him when he commented him. "If you don't want to fight me, I'll kill you instead!"

He throws one of his chakrams at him and kills him. However, when he killed his opponent, he went towards him after he caught his chakram and realized that it was just a corpse. He looked around, trying find his opponent that he was hiding somewhere. Where is he hiding right now? Suddenly, Yoji felt a quick and unconscious feeling and realized that the silver-haired Oto-nin knocked him out when he's behind him, rendering unconscious. Yoji fell down on the ground as he was knocked out, realizing that he let his guard down.

After Yoji became unconscious, two ninja from Otogakure as the silver-haired shinobi came to him after he knocked him out.

"Kabuto-sama, should we kill him?" asked the first ninja.

"No. He's very useful when he'll become Orochimaru-sama's prisoner." Kabuto answered as he's adjusting his glasses. He confiscates his chakrams when he came towards him. He became impressed when he took Yoji's chakrams from him. He ordered the two shinobi to take him to Orochimaru's hideout after he confiscated his weapons.

After Yoji was defeated and unconscious, he was now captured as he was taken to Otogakure.


	11. Chapter 10: Ryoji

This sentence is only narrated by Yoji when he was imprisoned in Otogakure.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Ryoji<strong>

_"After I was taken to Otogakure and became a prisoner, I was chosen after a girl named Megami after I fought and defeated the other prisoners."_

As Yoji was captured and taken to Otogakure as a prisoner, he was laying down on the bed unconscious and woke up as he found himself in a prison. He wondered that how did he ended up in a prison.

"Where am I?" he asked as he got up from the bed.

Suddenly, he realized that his chakrams were missing from his waist when he was unconscious before he was taken to Otogakure. He became shocked that he can't find his chakrams somewhere after he was imprisoned.

"My chakrams! What happened to them?" shocked Yoji as he can't find his special weapons.

He began to think how did that happen when his chakrams went missing while he was knocked out before he was taken to Otogakure. While he was thinking, he heard someone came in and saw a shinobi from Otogakure.

The shinobi opens it after he was here to take Yoji to somewhere else. "You're awake, huh? Come out already."

Yoji became suspicous when he was now became a prisoner after he was captured. The important thing is that he need to find his chakrams at any costs no matter how he tries. But the problem is where.

_"I have to find my chakrams. But where?" _Yoji thought as he was taken to somewhere else. _"And also... where am I taking to?"_

As Yoji was taken to a place somewhere in this hideout, he found himself a huge arena with so many prisoners who were sent here. He became confused as he began to think. He wondered something had happen after he woke up from his consciousness.

_"An arena? Why I'm here?" _he confused as he looked at the prisoners.

Suddenly, someone appeared at the top of the arena much to Yoji's shock. It was the one that Yoji fought him before he was knocked out and taken to Otogakure. He became furious when he saw him again.

_"It's him! Why he's here?" _thought Yoji with rage as he saw the silver-haired shinobi once again when he was in the arena.

"Thank you for coming. I'm sure you'll know why you are here. The reason that you are sent here is because of Orochimaru-sama's orders," Kabuto explained. "You will fight against anyone else in this arena. The last person who survives wins."

The prisoners murmured in confusion as they heard about fighting each other in the arena. Yoji heard from them and wondered about Orochimaru's order and fighting other prisoners.

"Orochimaru?" he asked to himself with a confused look after hearing about fighting other prisoners.

"You may begin fighting against each other now." he commanded the prisoners as he snaps his finger to begin the batte royal.

Every prisoners began to fight against each other as the battle royal began. They killed each other one by one and the battle still continues. As for Yoji, he fought the prisoners with his taijutsu. He became annoyed when he's fighting his opponents. He have to survive from not being killed as he knew that he can't do anything without his chakrams. He knows that he needs to find his chakrams after the battle royal.

_"There's no end to this!" _he realized while fighting.

Will Yoji defeat all of his opponents before he must finds his chakrams?

He panted as he no longer can defeat all of his opponents and realized that the prisoners became very powerful because of their strange markings. He became tensed when fighting against his strange opponents with mysterious markings on their bodies.

"Ha! You can't beat us!" said the prisoner. "With this gives us more powerful, you're going to end up dead."

Yoji hesitated as he can't make a stragedy to defeat them. He knew that there's no way to survive when he's having a problem fighting against them.

"Now. You're finished!"

As one of the prisoners was about to kill Yoji, a monster attacked him before he makes his move. The prisoners became shocked with horror as the monster kills one of them. Yoji surprised as he knows that creature when it saved his life from being killed. A monster was a demon with flames around its body, two black horns, and red eyes.

The red-haired shinobi from Inyogakure realized that it was his chakrams in a form of a flame demon. He didn't knew that it came to the arena to save him when he was in trouble.

As the prisoner who tries to kill Yoji was killed by the flame demon, the other prisoners became horrified as the flame demon turned to them and snarled at them.

"What was that!"

"A monster!"

A flame demon attacks every prisoner with his black sharp claws in rage for trying to kill his master. While the enraged flame demon killed all of them, Kabuto surprised as he didn't knew that the flame demon was trying to save Yoji from being killed. He knew that his flame demon was trying to protect its master. After the flame demon killed all of the prisoners with strange and chaotic markings from their bodies, it turned around to Yoji, crawling towards him. It became grateful when its master became unhurt after he found him and saved his life. His eyes became worried as he stared at Yoji. Yoji realized that he was responsible for taking care of his chakrams especially its flame demon form. He went towards to his chakrams in the form of the flame demon and patted its head.

"Sorry for making you worried all the sudden. But thanks for saving my life," he thanked his chakrams. "I promise that I'll take care of you. After all, you're important to me."

The flame demon nodded as its began to disappear into flames, making itself became chakrams. After its transformed back into chakrams, he grabbed and putted his special weapons around his waist. He smiled as he became glad that he found his chakrams after it saved him.

Suddenly, Yoji heard a applause after retrieving his chakrams and the intense battle with the prisoners and saw Kabuto came to him. He became suspicious as he met Kabuto once again. Kabuto realized that Yoji is now the winner of the battle royal with his chakrams.

"Congratulations. I knew that you're very stronger than I expected." Kabuto congratulated Yoji.

Yoji began to realize that Kabuto was the one who took his chakrams while he was knocked out and taken to Otogakure.

"I believe that I should apologize for confiscating your precious weapons after I knocked you out. But before that, allow me to introduce myself," said Kabuto. "I'm Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru-sama's assistant."

"So you're the one who took my chakrams," Yoji noticed.

He went towards Kabuto and grabbed his collar very aggressively. His face became anger when he grabbed his collar. He can't believe that somone who defeated him before being taken took his chakrams.

"If you dare take my chakrams again, I'll kill you..."

His glare from his green eyes darts at Kabuto for taking his chakrams from him. Kabuto knew that his chakrams were very important to Yoji just like it saved him. He knew that he was responsible for taking his chakrams in the first place before he took Yoji to Otogakure when he knocked him unconsciously.

"I see you won't forgive me," stated Kabuto.

He pushed Kabuto away very viciously after grabbing his collar. After Yoji pushed him away, Kabuto stood up and adjusted his glasses, realizing that Yoji was very vicious. He knew that he made Yoji became furious after he saw him before the beginning of the battle royal. Yoji became flustrated when he showed anger to Kabuto although he was defeated by him.

"By the way, there's something I need to ask you something," Kabuto complied to Yoji.

Yoji became unexpected when Kabuto need to ask something. He wondered what Kabuto need to know about him.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"It seems that you're strong because of your particular nature element called flame. I'm surprised that you're very special." the silver-haired shinobi commented him. "Will you tell me about your nature element?"

"That's none of your business... I'm not interested if I tell you about my nature element." Yoji refused.

"Very well, since you won't tell me. I'm sure that you want to know why it was Orochimaru-sama's order," explained Kabuto.

Yoji became confused when Kabuto mentioned about Orochimaru's order. He wondered about who's Orochimaru that Kabuto was talking about before and after the battle royal. He began to ask him about Orochimaru.

"Who's Orochimaru?"

"Orochimaru-sama is the leader of this village and the legendary Sannin," Kabuto answered. "And also... I'm here to take you to someone who is interested in you."

"Interested in me?" Yoji inquired. "Who?"

"I have to take you to her first. You'll find out when you see her." replied Kabuto.

Yoji followed Kabuto after the talk with him as they left the arena. While following Orochimaru's assistant, he wondered about why he was chosen in the first place. He can't tell what was going on when he became a prisoner. He have to find out when he's going to meet someone who's very interested in him. He had a bad feeling about meeting her in person.

_"Got a bad feeling about this..." _he thought with a hesitated look on his face.

As they came to a door, Kabuto opens the door and they entered the dark room. Yoji saw a girl with long white hair in a hime-cut style and silver eyes, laying on her bed. She also wears a black yutaka with a white sash around her waist. He wondered that who is the girl who wanted see him in person as he finally met her.

"I brought someone that you requested, Megami." Kabuto mentioned to her after he brought Yoji.

_"Megami?"_ Yoji realized.

Megami got up from her bed and saw Yoji with an interesting smile from her face. The white-haired girl went towards Yoji as she finally met him in person. She knew that Yoji was the one she wanted for.

"He's perfect, Kabuto-san. I knew he's the one I want," said Megami.

Yoji felt a tense feeling when Megami comments about him. He can't tell what is she planning to do to him after he met her in person. He knew that something felt strange. Megami smiled at Yoji pensively, wanting him for particular reasons.

"You're a very interesting person I wanted for the first time." she commented to Yoji.

"First time?" he asked.

"It's been a pleasure since I first saw you." she explained.

Yoji became slightly confused when he don't remembered when did she first saw him before he met her. When did Megami saw him before? His mind became haze when Megami mentioned when she presumably met him before Kabuto took him to her after the battle royal had ended.

"What are you talking about?" he asked when he don't remembered when did Megami first saw him.

Megami realized that Yoji didn't remember although he already met her after the battle royal which he survived. She began to know why Yoji never met her before the battle royal.

"Of course, you never met me before... until Kabuto-san took you to see me in person after the end of the battle royal which Orochimaru-sama's prisoners got killed by your weapons who saved your life," she stated. "There's a reason why I did met you before you came to see me for the first time."

Yoji became complicated and suspicious on what is she talking about.

"What reason?" he asked in a suspicious way.

She slightly chuckled when Yoji doesn't know her reason that she met him before. "The reason I met you before you met me is because you're unconscious when Kabuto-san had captured you."

He became shocked when Megami explained that she met him when he was unconscious because Kabuto knocked him out and took him to Otogakure as the prisoner. He never knew that he didn't realized that Megami met him in an unconscious state while being taking by him. He looked at him with a glare, realizing that he feels that he doesn't like him for the first time.

Kabuto realized that Yoji became displeased when he stared at him with a bitter and cold glare on his face.

"But please don't blame him, I requested Orochimaru-sama to make a battle royal for his prisoners in order to find someone to join me." Megami explained. "After all, I knew that you're the one I wanted for."

Yoji wondered why Megami wanted him when she told about her reasons. "What did you mean?" he asked, wondering.

"I want you to become my eighth nightmare. And also the puppet leader," she answered with a cunning smile. "You're very special because of your abilities."

Megami realized that she didn't ask him his name after she met him again. "Oh, by the way, you didn't tell me your name." she mentioned. "So tell me your name."

After she asked him his name, Yoji became hesitated about telling her his name and he's not sure about joining her to become the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader. He became silent when he didn't answer to Megami.

"It seems that you can't tell me your name. But don't worry. I already know your name after all. I believe I could give you a new name to make sure that no one knows your real name." Megami convinced him.

_"A new name?" _he thought.

"From now on, your name will be called "**Ryoji**", the eighth nightmare and the puppet of my Seven Shinobi of Nightmares." she entitled him. "Will you accept it and join me?"

When Megami gave a new name to Yoji, he became complicated when joining her and hesitatingly accepted her request. "Yes..."

She became delightful when Yoji, also known as Ryoji, accepted for joining her.

"I'm glad that you made a good choice, Ryoji." Megami remarked, smiling at her new and profound puppet leader.

Yoji knew that he had no choice as he became Megami's eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. With his life as the eighth nightmare, there was no turning back nor escape from being a nightmare.


	12. Chapter 11: A Reason to Protect Someone

This chapter will be about Yori's determination and a promise to protect Yume. Hope you like it. In the beginning of this chapter is still about Yoji telling Yume about him as Ryoji, the eighth nightmare and puppet leader.

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: A Reason to Protect Someone<strong>

As Yoji finishes his story about himself as the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader, Yume never realizes that someone like him became the eighth nightmare and the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares led by Megami even his alias, Ryoji.

"That's how it happened back then. Becoming the eighth nightmare with no freedom or turning back. I had no right to change the way I used to be." he explained to Yume.

"So who's Megami?" Yume asked, curiously.

"She's the leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares before she chose me. Then I became the puppet leader when she wasn't here," he answered. "I don't know where is she right now when everything changed because I'm protecting you."

"Yoji-san." she realized.

Yoji became concerned about Yume as the challenger when protecting her from the Akuma Akumu and the six nightmares such as Joyoku and Kuzuri. He knew that he have to be more careful about letting his guard down while protecting her.

_"I won't make that same mistake ever again..."_

Yume began to wonder about Yoji was ordered by someone. Who ordered Yoji to protect her during the game? She can't tell why and knew something felt amiss. She remembered that Joyoku asked him before he took her to a safe place.

"Who ordered you to protect her?" asked Joyoku.

With a question about someone who ordered Yoji to protect her from harm and danger, she began to asked him.

"Yoji-san," said Yume.

"Hm? What is it?" he replied when he heard Yume.

"Who told you to protect me during the game?"

Yoji became shockly surprised when she asked him a question about someone who ordered him to protect her during the game of the Seven Stages of Nightmares. He never realize that Yume need to know who told him to protect her from harm. He became silently hesitated when he can't answer who. He knew that Kabuto told him to protect Yume, but he somehow realized that something feels suspicious.

_"Come to think of it. How did she know Kabuto?" _he wondered.

He remembered that Yume told him about she became the challenger because Kabuto used her feelings. With his difficult thoughts, he became unsure about telling Yume who ordered him to protect her.

"Before I'll tell you who ordered me to protect you, there's something I need to explain about him." he explained. "To be honest, I don't trust him at all."

Yume became confused when he told about someone he knew that he don't trust him.

"Why you don't trust him?" she asked, curisouly.

"I don't like him. It feels like that I always hate him so much," he answered.

When he talked about someone he doesn't trust him, the Hyuga's ally began to wonder about him that Yoji mentioned. She realized that something feels familiar when Yoji was talking about someone.

"Can you tell me about the person you don't trust him?" she inquired. "I want to know."

Yoji knew that Yume presumably knew Kabuto before and began to answer her.

"You might know him if I'll answer your question." Yoji explained. "I'm sure that you'll understand."

"I understand. Please tell me," she said as she nodded to him.

As she understood, Yoji began to tell her who told him to protect her. "The one who ordered me to protect you... is Kabuto."

Much to Yume's shock, she didn't realize that Kabuto was the one who told Yoji protect her during the game. She can't believe that he's also the person that Yoji doesn't trust him so much. She can't say a word after Yoji answered that it was Kabuto all along. In her mind, she wondered why. Why did Kabuto told Yoji to protect her during the nightmare game?

Yoji realized as he saw Yume became speechless after he told her about Kabuto.

"Hey. You don't have to tell me how did you know him after I told you that Kabuto ordered me to protect you," he stated. "I understand how you realized."

She half-reluctantly surprised when Yoji told her not explain about how she knew Kabuto. After he told her, she nodded with an agreement slowly.

_"It can't be. Kabuto used Yoji-san to be my protector of the nightmare game. Why?" _she thought with a difficult feeling.

"You need a rest," he convinced her.

She realized that Yoji convinced her to take a rest after thinking about Kabuto. She began to lay down on the bed and fell asleep. Before she fell asleep, Yoji began to tell something.

"By the way, I'm sorry that I lied to you about Kabuto," he confessed to Yume.

Surprising what Yoji said to her, she knew that Yoji did kept a secret about his relationship with Kabuto. She realizes that Yoji mentioned that he never trust Kabuto. She began to realize that Yoji was somehow the same as hers, never trusting someone they knew. She remembered when Kabuto mentioned to her about someone who will protect her during the game before she entered the door to the seven nightmares.

"Once you enter the door, you'll find someone and he will protect you during the game_._"

Remembering Kabuto's words that mentioned about Yoji as her protector, she can't predict about his intentions to use her as the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares. She had to find out about the purpose of this game after thinking about Kabuto's plans. She fell asleep as she closed her eyes.

Yoji sat behind the wall near the bed where Yume was sleeping. After he sat down, he wondered about Yume's relationship with Kabuto. He knew that Kabuto used Yume's feelings into emotionless to begin the game, but there's something bothered him.

Why did he used Yume as the challenger and ordered him to protect her?

His thoughts about protecting Yume made him in a difficult mood when trying to think why. Wondering why Kabuto used her, he remembers that he was told by him to protect Yume before searching the challenger. He knew that he needs to be careful while protecting Yume. If not, he'll let his guard down and Yume might be killed that it will end the game completely.

"Protect the challenger..." he said to himself.

He realized that Kabuto didn't told him who is the challenger which he was keeping a secret about Yume.

_"Could it be that Kabuto doesn't tell me who because he knew her before?" _he inquired.

With his prediction about Kabuto's relationship with Yume, he continues to watch her in order to protect her at any cost until the end of the game.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest of Akumu no Kuni, Yumekui searches for Yoji to make sure that he's okay at some point. He looked around in the forest, wondering if Yoji was here while protecting Yume. However, he knew that they wasn't here in the forest before.

"They're not here just now..." said Yumekui as he became worried about Yoji and Yume at some point.

He's not sure about going to this dangerous land where nightmares became reality. He was also somehow worried if Kabuto knew that he went to find Yoji and Yume without notifying him. But he can't notifying Kabuto about going to Akumu no Kuni alone, he knew that he've entered the door to the Akumu no Kuni.

"I know it's very dangerous although I already came here." the young boy realized. "But... I have to, I need to find Yoji in order to tell him... about Yume-san..."

Yumekui hesitated about telling Yoji about Yume because of Kabuto's schemes to use her as a puppet after the end of the nightmare game. He knew that Yume won't die during the game at some point and will become Kabuto's puppet and prisoner. He recalled Kabuto's words to him as he remembered what he had told him before he went to Akumu no Kuni.

"If my dearest Yume fails to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares, she won't die during the game. However... once she fails, she won't escape from me, using her as my precious puppet while becoming my prisoner."

Worrying about Yume if she can't complete the nightmare game, he hurried to find them before it's too late. He knew that he doesn't want Ryoji to fail on protecting Yume.

_"To be honest... I always eat humans' dreams and nightmares because I'm the dream eater. But things changed since Kabuto-san became the host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares," _he thought. _"Especially my ability to see people's dreams and nightmares as predictions."_

He began to wonder about his vision he had before he came to Akumu no Kuni. He remembered that he had a vision in his dreams about someone who came to Akumu no Kuni to save Yume from the unknown kidnapper, which it was Kabuto. Remembering his vision, he became confused about the person, trying to rescue Yume.

_"Come to think of it. I had a second vision in my dreams about him who was trying to save Yume-san. It's been a while ever since I had my first vision about myself who first met Ryoji. But... why that person was trying to save Yume-san?"_

Suddenly, Yumekui felt a strange feeling somewhere in the forest and looked around. As he looked around, he began to realized and turned around. When he turned around, he saw eight Akuma Akumu appeared before him as he became shocked.

Meanwhile, Yori and Kazekiri searched for Tsukida and the others, who were separated from them by the black whirlwind.

While searching for them, Yori became worried about what will happen to Yume if he can't find and save her. He couldn't help himself when worrying about Yume after what happened when a Akuma Akumu kidnapped her.

While he became depressed, Kazekiri realized that Yori was worried about his twin sister. She knew that Yume is important to Yori because he always protect her since he first met her. Knowing how Yori felt, she began to say something to him.

"Are you worried about Yume, Yori?" she asked.

He became surprised when Kazekiri asked him all the sudden. He never knew that Kazekiri realized that he was worried about Yume. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I can tell by your face. You do know that you can't blame yourself," she explained.

He realized that it wasn't fault for not protecting Yume when the wind spirit explained to him about blaming himself. He can't help himself, worrying about her so much after he failed to save Yume from the shadow.

"I know," he replied. "but I can't help myself when worrying about her and blaming myself for not saving her."

"It's not your fault, Yori." she exclaimed. "You can't give up on protecting Yume if you keep blaming yourself."

Yori knew that blaming himself won't do anything good. He promised himself that he'll save Yume although he'd protect her.

"Yeah, you're right." he realized.

Suddenly, he saw a boy surrounded by the shadow monsters and realized that the young boy was in trouble. Kazekiri looked at him and realized that he saw the young boy who was in troubled when he's surrounded by the monsters.

"That boy. What's he doing here?" Kazekiri noticed.

"He needs our help. We have to help him."

Yori went ahead as he was about to save the young boy from the monsters. He used his dark kunai and threw at the shadows. As Yori saved the boy, Yumekui became surprised when Yori saved his life from the Akuma Akumu. Surprising Yori saved him, he realized that he somehow saw him in person.

_"It's him... It's really him... from my dreams." _Yumekui surprised.

"You okay?" he asked as he checked on him to make sure that he's alright.

Yumekui nodded. After Yori saved Yumekui from the Akuma Akumu, Kazekiri came to them.

"Kazekiri, take care of the boy."

"Understood," she replied.

Kazekiri protected Yumekui while Yori was about to fight against the Akuma Akumu. Yori remembered about the shadows before he was about to fight them.

_"Those shadows. They must be the Akuma Akumu that Ayumu-san mentioned." _he realized. _"Better be careful. She said that they have an ability to transform into a shinobi or an animal."_

As he was about to fight against, the Akuma Akumu transformed into a kunoichi which was looked like Yume much to his shock. He became tensed about fighting the shadows with Yume's appearance. He used five Yami Bunshins of himself and began to attack the shadows. Four of them attacked the four shadows while Yori attacked the fifth shadow. His seven Yami Bunshins defeated the eight Akuma Akumu as they disapeared after being defeated. After the seven Yami Bunshins defeated the seven Akuma Akumu, they disappeared, leaving Yori fighting the eighth and last Akuma Akumu.

He fought and dodged its attacks while using his taijutsu. He had a diffcult and tensed feeling while fighting against an Akuma Akumu with an appearance of his twin sister. An Akuma Akumu killed Yori with the katana, but it was a Yami Bunshin. An Akuma Akumu looked around, however Yori was behind it with his technique.

"Hissatsu: Kurai Shogeki Hado!"

He stunned his opponent with his elbow and then a powerful palm heel strike, sending a large amounts of dark energy waves through its body. After defeating the Akuma Akumu, it disappeared as it faded away.

Yori went to Kazekiri and the boy who was protected her by while he was fighting against the Akuma Akumu.

"Is he alright?" he asked.

"Yes," Kazekiri answered.

Yumekui became surprised when he realized that Yori was the one he saw him in his dream vision.

"Hey, you're not hurt, are you?" he asked Yumekui.

"No, I'm okay. Thank you..." he replied.

"What's your name?"

"Yumekui." the young boy answered.

"It's dangerous. You should be more careful." exclaimed Yori.

He understood as he nodded his head.

"So why you're here alone in Akumu no Kuni?"

Yumekui became quiet as he can't answer Yori's question about why he's alone in Akumu no Kuni. He knew that he have to find Ryoji and Yume before anything happens to them.

"You don't have to tell me. I understand." he realized. Suddenly Yori saw Kazekiri became tensed as he looked at her with confusion. "Kazekiri, what's wrong?"

The wind spirit heard Yori asking her about something bothered her in some reasons.

"Hm? No, nothing's wrong." she answered.

She became slightly suspicous when she felt something strange from Yumekui.

_"This boy... Something bothers me... It feels like that he has a special power," _she thought. _"And... it feels like that he isn't human."_

Yumekui began to ask Yori something. "Um... can you tell me your name?"

"I'm Yori Yukisaki and this is Kazekiri." he introduced to Yumekui. "Anyway, we have to find a place to hide before the Akuma Akumu finds us in some point."

Kazekiri nodded in agreement. Yumekui wondered that his dream vision did became come true about Yori who was trying to save Yume. Yori became tensed after fighting the Akuma Akumu with an appearance of his twin sister, Yume. Kazekiri realized that Yori became complicated as she looked at him.

"It seems that you felt difficult because of the Akuma Akumu." she realized. "Something bothering you?"

"It's just... I don't know what to say. Fighting against the Akuma Akumu that resemble of my twin sister..." he answered. "But I can't give up yet, I have to find Tsukida and the others and then rescue Yume."

Yumekui became shockly surprised when he heard that Yori was Yume's twin brother. _"Yori-san is... Yume-san's twin brother?" _he thought as he didn't realize.

Yumekui never knew that Yori was Yume's twin brother and also the one who tries to save Yume. He began to wonder why Yori wanted to save Yume. He knew that Yume was with Ryoji.

"Yori-san..." surprised Yumekui.

"Come on, we better leave before we might encounter the Akuma Akumu again." Yori mentioned.

As they were about to go before the Akuma Akumu appear again, Yumekui became confused about Yori, trying to save Yume. He began to ask him something before they were about to leave.

"Um... Yori-san." he called him.

Yori heard Yumekui and turned around to him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Did you came here to save Yume-san?" the young boy asked, curiously.

Yori became shocked, but completely surprised as he didn't realized that Yumekui asked him about saving Yume. He never knew that Yumekui presumaby knew Yume.

"How did you know... that I was about to save Yume?" he asked, confusedly.

The boy hesitated when trying to answer Yori's answer, but he cannot explain that Yume was chosen as the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares even Kabuto's intentions to use her.

"Well... it happened when I had a vision in my dreams. In my dream vision, I saw you, trying to save Yume-san," answered Yumekui.

"If you had a vision about me and Yume, did you know her?" Yori wondered.

Yumekui continued to hesitate about telling him about Yume although she was his twin sister.

"I just... heard of her," he replied.

"I see." Yori realized.

"We have to leave right now. We can't stay here before the Akuma Akumu appear again." Kazekiri explained.

"You're right. Let's go."

As they walked, Yumekui began to ask Yori something. "Yori-san."

"What's wrong?" Yori asked while walking.

"Why do you really want to protect Yume-san?" asked Yumekui.

He didn't realize as Yumekui asked him why he wanted to protect Yume. He became hesitant on answering Yumekui's question.

"Well... I wanted to protect Yume because... she's very important to me," Yori explained. "I don't want to fail on protecting her just like the last time."

Yumekui became confused when Yori mentioned something about failing on protecting Yume like the _"last"_ time.

"Just like the last time?"'

"It happened when Yume and I were at the autumn trees. Yume confessed that she didn't help me from what happened." he replied. "She said that it was her fault and then I yelled at her that she's not a hindrance, but I scared her and apologized to her. I told her that I promised that I'll protect her no matter what happens until..."

"Until what?" the young boy wondered, curiously.

"Until the Akuma Akumu ambushed us and one of them kidnapped Yume after I defeated the other four. I tried to save her, but... I ended up wounded when that Akuma Akumu crushed my arm when it grabbed me. I failed to protect her and I'm such an idiot."

"That's not true, Yori-san!" yelled Yumekui.

Yori surprised that Yumekui explained that wasn't true that he failed to protect Yume. "Yumekui..."

"I know it's diffcult, but you can't say that you cannot protect her. I'm sure that you can save her!" Yumekui explained. "You can't give up on protecting Yume-san!"

Yori surprised that Yumekui encouraged him not to give up on protecting his twin sister. He also remembered that Kazekiri said the same thing.

"You can't give up on protecting Yume if you keep blaming yourself."

Remembering Kazekiri's words, he made up his mind as he became determined.

"Thank you, Yumekui. I won't make the same mistake like the last time." he complied.

Kazekiri realized that Yori became determined to protect and save Yume as she looked at him.

_"It seems like that Yori became more determined," _the wind spirit realized.

With Yori's resolution, he knew that he have to save Yume no matter how he won't give up. And also, he needs to find Tsukida and the others while rescuing Yume.

_"Everyone, I hope you're okay. Once we're together, we'll save Yume." _determined Yori. _"Yume, I will find you. I'll protect you at all costs."_


	13. Chapter 12: A Deceiving Illusion

This chapter will be about Yume saw someone she knew before she realizes it was an illusion when Yoji saved her.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: A Deceiving Illusion<strong>

At the abandoned house where Yoji and Yume took a rest, the Hyuga's ally woke up as she realized that she can't sleep after thinking about that Yoji was ordered to protect her by Kabuto. She became tensed and hesitated when she never knew that Kabuto ordered him to protect. But the reason that Yoji was trying to protect her is why. Why Kabuto ordered Yoji to protect her during the game?

She stood up from the bed and saw Yoji, who was already asleep. She walked slowly, making sure not to wake him up and went outside after she woke up. She used her Byakugan to make sure that the enemy such as the Akuma Akumu or one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares didn't ambush her and Yoji.

"Byakugan!"

She looked around the forest and realized that no one didn't come here and ambush them as she deactivated her Byakugan.

Suddenly before she went back, she saw someone somewhere and became shockly surprised as she realized the person she encountered. A slender man with a black medium straight hair and grey eyes clad in a grey Chinese jacket with black trimmings, white long pants, and martial artist shoes appeared before her.

"Kai-sensei?"

The man she knew ran away for strange reasons and Yume went after him. She became confused as she wondered that it was a dream or not when she saw Kai appeared before her.

_"That's impossible... What's going on? Is this really him?" _Yume thought in confusion when she saw Kai and became unsure if it's really him.

Meanwhile somewhere at the hideout, Kabuto went to Yumekui's room to check him what's he doing right now. When he came to his room, he began to knock the door. However after he knocked the door, he realized that the boy didn't answer the door. Noticing that Yumekui didn't answer, Kabuto opened the door. He looked around and realized that Yumekui wasn't here in his room.

"Yumekui-kun went to the Akumu no Kuni if you're looking for him."

The medical-nin heard someone telling him about Yumekui, and turned around and saw the girl with long white hair in a hime-cut style and silver eyes clad in a white medium sleeveless kimono with a gray obi around her waist and two white separate, kimono-like sleeves hanging from her upper arms that completes her attire, white thigh high stockings, and black martial artist shoes.

"Megami." he realized.

She smiled, wondering what he was doing even using Yume as the challenger of the nightmare game.

"I heard that you're the host of the nightmare game right now." said Megami.

Kabuto slightly suprised when Megami knew about himself being the nightmare game's host.

"How did you know?"

"Orochimaru-sama told me that you went to the one of his former hideouts, so I went to see you," she answered. "I was looking for you because you're not with him just now."

"I see."

"I never knew that you chose that girl as the challenger for this game although you're the host right now." she stated.

"Are you talking about my dearest Yume?" he inquired when Megami was talking about Yume.

She nodded. "There's something I need to ask you."

"What is it?" he curiously asked when Megami wanted to ask him.

"Is _your dearest_ very important to you?" she asked, wondering and curiously.

Kabuto shockly surprised when Megami asked him that Yume was very important him by some reasons. He became slightly quite suspicious towards her question.

"Is that question really important to you?" he replied.

"I'm just very curious, that's all. Orochimaru-sama also told me that you used her as the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares," she explained. "I'll ask that question one more time. Is she very important to you?"

Kabuto became tensed when answering Megami's question about Yume being important to him. Knowing that he can't hide his secret from her, he ended up answering her question.

"Yes, my dearest Yume is very important to me."

"If she's very important to you, then why did you used her as the challenger, Kabuto-san?" she asked once again.

"To be honest, I had seen every Orochimaru-sama's test subjects cannot complete the nightmare game that he created and ended up killed by you and your six nightmares. But this time, I'm using her to complete this game," he answered.

"Is that so? No wonder she's important to you, Kabuto-san," she commented.

After Megami commented about Yume being important to Kabuto, he began to wonder about how did she knew that Yumekui went to the Akumu no Kuni.

"Megami, how did you know that your ototo-chan went to the Akumu no Kuni just now?" he asked.

"It's simple. While I was looking for you, I just saw him left his room and followed him without letting him notice me until he entered the door to the Akumu no Kuni," she answered. "I didn't bother to go after him after following him. I wonder why my dearest ototo-chan went to the Akumu no Kuni."

Kabuto began to realize that Yumekui went to the Akumu no Kuni because the boy have to warn Ryoji about his intentions to use Yume after she fails to complete the nightmare game.

_"Could this be that he went to Akumu no Kuni to warn Ryoji about my intentions to use my dearest Yume?" _he realized.

Megami saw his face became unease, wondering about Yumekui went to the Akumu no Kuni to find Ryoji, who was now with Yume.

"Is something wrong, Kabuto-san?" she asked.

He heard Megami asking him when thinking about Yumekui and began to answer her question. "Nothing."

"Well, I should be going then." she replied.

Before she left, she began to ask him once again. "Oh, before that, you're going to use her as your precious puppet after she fails to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares, right?"

The medical-nin became surprised when Megami knew his plans to use Yume after she cannot complete the game. He didn't knew that Megami knew about his intentions all along.

"Before I answer that question of yours, how did you know that I was going to use my dearest as my puppet after she fails to complete the game?" he asked, suspiciously.

The girl chuckled when Kabuto asked her about his intentions to use Yume. She grinned at Kabuto very slyly. "I just heard from Yumekui-kun before he entered the door and went to the Akumu no Kuni." she answered.

It happened when Megami was looking for Kabuto. While looking for him, she saw Yumekui left his room. She became confused after she saw Yumekui. As she followed her ototo-chan, she realized that Yumekui appeared before the nightmare door that was leads to the Akumu no Kuni. She watched him closely without being noticed by him.

On the other hand, Yumekui became hesitating as he stared at the nightmare door. Staring at it, he began to touch the door. When he touched the door, he became trembled and stayed away from the door. He sensed that the nightmares scared him very fiercely as he stayed away from the door. He panted and panted as he became afraid after the nightmares scared him. He became unsure about entering the door of nightmares and knew that it was dangerous to go to the Akumu no Kuni because of the Akuma Akumu. However, he had to do this because he must warn Ryoji about Kabuto's intentions to use Yume if she fails to complete the nightmare game.

"I have to... I have to do this." said Yumekui. "I need to find Ryoji. I need to find him because..."

Yumekui paused himself from talking to himself about finding Ryoji, worrying about him who was protecting Yume in the Akumu no Kuni during the game.

_"I... I don't know what to do. If I tell him about Kabuto-san's intentions to use Yume-san, I don't know what Ryoji would react on this situation," _he thought.

After worrying about telling Ryoji about Yume, he stopped worrying himself and became somehow determined.

"I have to find Ryoji. If I don't, Yume-san will fail to complete this game and Kabuto-san will use her as his puppet and prisoner. I won't let that happen."

As he became determined, he opened the door and entered, looking for Ryoji in the Akumu no Kuni. After Yumekui entered the door and went to the Akumu no Kuni, Megami became surprised. She never knew about Kabuto's intentions that Yumekui was talking about.

After she watched Yumekui entered the door and heard about Kabuto's intentions, she didn't go after him and went to find Kabuto.

Kabuto never knew that Megami knew his intentions because she heard from Yumekui. He began to realize that Yumekui really went to the Akumu no Kuni to find Ryoji and warn him about his intentions to use Yume.

"I never knew that you really wanted to use that girl as your precious and dearest puppet once she fails to complete the game," Megami commented. "Is that why you don't want her to be killed by my six nightmares and Akuma Akumu?"

"Yes, I don't want her to die if she can't complete the game. Besides, I told her that she'll be free if she completes the game." he explained. "And also... I ordered Ryoji to protect her during the game."

Megami slightly surprised when she heard that Ryoji was now protecting Yume. "I see," she replied. "I'll be going, then."

Megami began to leave after her talk with Kabuto. Before she was about to leave, Kabuto began to call her.

"Megami." he called.

Megami heard Kabuto calling her before she leave. "What is it?" she asked.

"Do you really hate her because she killed your chichiue?" he asked, wondering.

Megami extremely surprised when Kabuto asked her if she hates Yume because she killed her chichiue, which of course, Yokami. Megami was created by her own chichiue after he defected from Inyogakure when he was researching kinjutsu. He also created Yumekui while he was creating Megami. However, she and Yumekui doesn't have memories about themshelves even their relationships between them. After Yokami created Megami and Yumekui, he took Megami to Inyogakure in secret while Yumekui was taken care by Kabuto and Orochimaru.

After Kabuto asked her his question and remembered back when she was an Inyo shinobi, she laughed.

"I wonder why. Do I hate Yume?" she wondered. "I never knew that if I really hate your dearest girl because she killed Otou-sama. I don't know if I do really hate her."

"So you're not sure?" he inquired.

"Maybe. Besides, you're the one that you told me that Otou-sama was killed by Yume when you came back after his death." she explained. "Anyway, I should be going right now. Have fun playing as a host, Kabuto-san."

She left after she finished talking with Kabuto. As Megami left, he became difficult after learning that Yumekui went to the Akumu no Kuni to find Ryoji and warn him about his plans.

_"He did went to the Akumu no Kuni to find Ryoji and tell him about my plans." _thought Kabuto.

He went to the room where he talked to Yumekui his intentions about using Yume after the incomplete of the nightmare game. He used the crystal ball to find where Yumekui was now in the Akumu no Kuni. Using the crystal ball, he found Yumekui and realized that he was with the a shinobi from Inyogakure and a wind spirit. Kabuto became surprised as he saw somone that Yumekui was with. He grinned as he knew him.

"Yori Yukisaki. I never knew that he came to rescue my dearest Yume." he realized. "I can't let him interfere. This game is only for my dearest, but..."

He knew that Yumekui was already with Yori and the wind spirit, Kazekiri. He became unsure about the stiuation after he found Yumekui in the Akumu no Kuni.

"In that case, I should go to the Akumu no Kuni. After all, it's very dangerous for Yumekui."

Later, Yume chased Kai in the forest after she saw him. She ran and ran as fast as she could while chasing her deceased sensei in the forest. She became unsure and confused if it's really Kai all the time. She can't tell if it's true or not and kept chasing him.

_"Is it really him? Is it really him I saw a while ago? I don't know,"_ she thought. _"I can't tell it's him. Kai-sensei..."_

As she kept chasing Kai, he stopped running and waited for Yume to stopped chasing him. The Hyuga's ally stopped as she realized that Kai stopped running away from her. She wondered if it's really him after all. As she wondered, Kai turned around to her and smiled at her. Smiling at her, he held out his hand to her. She began to walk towards him after realizing that it's really him all along.

"Kai-sensei... It's you, isn't it?" she realized, walking towards him.

Unknowingly to her, she was actually walking towards the cliff while Kai held out his hand to her. As she walked towards him, a voice called her out of nowhere.

"Open your eyes!"

She heard a voice calling her and saw Kai disappeared all the sudden, and felt that someone was grabbing her hand and turned around. When she turned around, she realized that it was Yoji who called her.

"Yoji-san... Why you're here?" she asked.

"What do you expect? I was trying to save you," he answered.

"Save me? What do you mean?" she confused.

"I saw you walking towards the cliff, so I stopped you."

She became shocked that she didn't knew that she walked towards the cliff instead of Kai she saw. She looked back and realized that she did walk towards the cliff. She looked around and knew that Kai was just an illusion.

_"If I'm walking towards the cliff, that means..."_

She became uneased as she realized that her sensei was an illusion to deceive her on falling down from the cliff. All the sudden, tears came out from her eyes. Shedding silent tears, she went towards Yoji and suddenly embraced him much to his confusion.

"Hey! What's wrong, Yume? Why you're—"

"Kai-sensei..." Yume replied as she hid her face towards his chest while embracing him all the sudden.

He heard that Yume was saying Kai and became confused about what she was talking about.

_"Kai-sensei?" _confused Yoji.

After he heard Yume saying Kai, he reluctantly embraced her back as well and comforted her until she stopped shedding her tears.


	14. Chapter 13: Kunoichi of Team YRP

This chapter will be about Yume telling Yoji about her deceased sensei, Megami commanded Unmei to kill someone, the battle against Netami and Taidana, and Rika and Pana came to Yume's aid.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Kunoichi of Team YRP<strong>

After Yoji saved Yume from falling from the cliff because of the illusion of her deceased sensei, they kept walking as they were looking for the door to next the stage. While walking, Yoji wondered why Yume said Kai much to his confusion after he saved Yume.

_"Kai? Who's Kai?"_ he thought.

He remembered that Yume once said that name when she embraced him while shedding tears after realizing that she was tricked by the illusion.

"Hey! What's wrong, Yume? Why you're—"

"Kai-sensei..." Yume replied as she hid her face towards his chest while embracing him all the sudden.

He heard that Yume was saying Kai and became confused about what she was talking about.

After remembering what happened back then, he still became confused about why Yume said that name.

On the other hand, Yume became frantic after what happened. She knew that her deceased sensei was an illusion to trick her on falling down from the cliff.

_"I can't believe it. I should have known. It was a genjutsu," _she thought. _"Kai-sensei..."_

Yoji saw Yume became frantic and wondered that Yume knew Kai before. Wondering about her and Kai, he began to talk to her.

"Hey, you're okay?"

She heard Yoji was talking to her and lifted her head up. She nodded and answered, "Yeah."

However, she still became frantic after answering his question. The red-haired boy began to realize that she was thinking about Kai.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, curiously.

The Ally of the Byakugan realized that Yoji wanted to ask her something. She wondered what kind of question Yoji might ask.

"Remember after I saved you from falling down from the cliff? You somehow embraced me all the sudden for no reason and you said something." he explained.

"I did?"

"You just only said the name while you embraced me. Who's Kai?"

Yume became surprised that Yoji asked her who's Kai, her deceased sensei. She knew that she did said his name while embracing Yoji after he saved her from falling down from the cliff.

"He was my sensei." she answered.

"Your sensei?"

She nodded. "Three years ago when I was a Genin, I don't have two comrades with me, but only Kai-sensei. He was a medical-nin and taught me medical ninjutsu. Until..."

She stopped and became hesitated on talking about her sensei's death to Yoji.

"Until what?" he inquired.

"He was killed by an assassin when he had a B-rank mission. Back then, I sought to find the person who killed Kai-sensei three years ago and found the person I was looking for. However, I realized that my former revenge I received after his death gave me pitiful hatred. In the end, I gave up that revenge and hatred."

He didn't knew that Yume's sensei was killed by an assassin three years, leaving her all alone and received her revenge and hatred. He began to wonder who killed her sensei back then before she gave up her revenge that gave her hatred.

"Who killed your sensei back then? Before you gave up your revenge?" he asked, curiously.

She became slightly surprised, but more shocked when Yoji asked her who killed her sensei back, which it was, of course, Kabuto Yakushi. She hesitated about answering his question to him after she knew that Kabuto killed her sensei back then before she first met him. She became complicated as her right arm touched and gripped her left arm slightly. She knew that she can't answer Yoji's question because Kabuto ordered him to protect her during the game.

Yoji realized that Yume didn't answer to him and knew that she don't want to answer who killed her sensei.

"It's okay. You don't have to answer, Yume."

She surprised as she realized when Yoji convinced her that she don't have to answer his question. But after he convinced her, she wondered why Kabuto ordered Yoji to protect her during the game. She knew that she have to find the person who will protect her before she met Yoji.

"Yoji-san... There's something I need to ask you."

"Hm? What is it?" he wondered.

"Why... Why did Kabuto ordered you to protect me?" she asked.

Yoji became extremely surprised when Yume asked him about Kabuto ordered him to protect her during the game. Although Yume knew Kabuto before, he knew that he had no choice, but to answer.

"He ordered me to protect you because it's priority when he gave me that mission," he answered. "If I fail to protect you, the game will end completely. That's what Kabuto said to me. Before I looked for you, I asked him that who is the challenger, but he didn't tell me, leaving me to find out. Right now, I know that why he didn't answer that it was you."

"Yoji-san."

He went towards her and touched her shoulder with his right hand.

"I promise I'll protect you. I have to." promised Yoji.

"But why?" she asked with confusion.

"Because I don't want you to be killed by them. That's why I'll protect you. No matter what happens, I won't make that mistake ever again."

Suddenly, a door appeared before them. They realized that it was another door that it will lead to the next stage.

"Another one?" Yume realized.

"Could it be that we defeated Joyoku and Kuzuri?" he implied.

"I guess so." she answered.

As they entered the door to the next stage, the door closed itself and disappeared completely.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Orochimaru's former hideout, Megami was in the hallway after she talked with Kabuto. She sensed that someone she knew came to save Yume for some reason. She smiled and that the person she knew was really here in the Akumu no Kuni. However, she knew that the person can't interfere Kabuto's plans although he tries to save Yume. She began to prepare her next move.

"Unmei." she called.

Suddenly, he appeared before her when she called him. He has brown hair tied in a ponytail and clad in a black sleeveless shirt, long pants, and black shinobi sandals. He has a mask with a mark of a black dragon on the right side that concealed his face.

"What is it, Megami-sama?" he asked.

"I have a request for you," said Megami. "I want you to kill someone."

"To kill someone?" he inquired.

"Yes. Someone who already appeared in the Akumu no Kuni who tries save the girl who is a challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares." she explained. "I don't want him interferes Kabuto-san's plans after all."

"Tell me who I must kill, Megami-sama." implied Unmei.

She smiled slyly, realizing that he wanted to know about the person he must kill. "The shinobi from Inyogakure, Yori Yukisaki. He looks a lot like you."

He became slightly surprised, but confused when Megami told him that Yori looked a lot like him for strange reasons. However, he knew that Yori was the one that he must kill under her orders.

"Yori Yukisaki... Understood. I'll find that person." said Unmei.

"Good. Don't fail on this request, Unmei. I know you can do it," she complied.

"Yes, Megami-sama."

After he received a request from Megami, he disappeared within the dark shadows that were surrounded around him. As he left, Megami became surprised as she realized that Yori came to the Akumu no Kuni. She knew that it's been three years ever since she defected from Inyogakure after she defeated Yori.

"In that case, I should go to the Akumu no Kuni to see Yori-kun again. It's been three years ever since I left Inyo." Megami convinced herself to meet him again.

Later in the Akumu no Kuni, Yume and Yoji came to the third stage after they entered the door. When they came to the third stage, the appearance of the location in the Akumu no Kuni was different to the two stages that they completed. The forest was surrounded by a thick mist unlike the other forests in a reality.

"I never seen a thick mist in this forest before." said Yume, looking the mist surrounded the forest.

"It's different unlike the reality. There's no way that forests were surrounded by thick mists," he explained. "We have to be careful. There may be ambushes somewhere in this forest."

As they came the forest with a thick mist, they began to walk. Somewhere, Netami and Taidana finally found them while hiding in the trees.

"Tsk. I guess Joyoku's right. He is protecting that challenger," Netami realized.

"Come to think of it, it's our first time when that girl from Konoha became a challenger." mentioned Taidana.

"Hey, you're right. All we killed were Orochimaru-sama's test subjects back then. I guess it's our lucky day." she replied.

"So what should we do although we found Ryoji and the challenger?" he asked.

"We just follow them, of course. If they stop, it's our chance to ambush them, thanks to this mist." answered Netami. "Come on, Taidana. We don't lose track on them."

After they found Yume and Yoji, they followed them while hidden in the forests without being spotted by them.

"Hey, Netami. Are you sure it's a good idea to follow them? What if we get caught?" he asked.

"How should I know? All we have to do is not to get noticed by them." she answered.

"Well, when you put it that way."

While Netami and Taidana followed, Yume and Yoji kept walking in the forest with a thick mist that was surrounded them. Suddenly, as they're walking, Yume felt sudden strange feelings within her. She panted, feeling pain.

_"What's happening? Why I feel pain?" _she confused. She began to realize that it was same just like Kabuto enticed her feelings into emotionless. _"Could it be... the same feeling like Kabuto did to me?"_

Feeling pain with strange feelings, she somehow began to faint. As she was about to faint, Yoji saw Yume and went towards her. He caught her quickly after realizing that something happened to her. After Yoji caught Yume in his arms, strange feelings that she felt within in her had disappeared.

"Hey! Yume, are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah... I'm alright." she answered. She became confused when she felt emotionless strange feelings. _"Those feelings... if it's the same way like Kabuto enticed my feelings, then why did it happened again?"_

Suddenly, Yoji sensed something ambushes them and took Yume in his arms, dodging from kunai and shurikens. After he dodged the kunai and shurikens, he put Yume down. Yume realized that someone ambushed them after he took her away from the kunai and shurikens.

"Good job on dodging my ninja tools, Ryoji."

"That voice!" Yoji heard someone.

Netami and Taidana appeared before them. Yoji realized that Netami threw her ninja tool at them after he caught Yume in his arms for strange reasons and dodged away from them.

"Man, I never knew that you're protecting that girl," said Taidana. "No wonder you already defeated Joyoku and Kuzuri."

"Netami, Taidana..." Yoji realized.

"You better tell us why you're protecting her!" demanded Netami.

Yoji became tensed on fighting against Netami and Taidana while protecting Yume. _"That's not good."_

Yume knew that the two of them knew him although his alias was Ryoji.

"Sorry. I can't tell you why I'm protecting her." he answered.

Netami realized that he can't answer her question about why he's protecting Yume during the nightmare game.

"Why you..." she angered. "If you don't answer me, I'll force it out of you!"

"Go ahead and try." Yoji provoked the ninja tool kunoichi.

Netami displeased when the puppet leader provoked on forcing him to answer. She prepared to summon her ninja tools as she was about to fight against Yume and Yoji.

"Taidana, you go fight Ryoji."

"What? Why me?" he asked, confusing.

"Because I said so. Fighting against him gives me nerves!" she answered. "And what's important is that challenger."

"I guess I have no choice." he realized.

"You better not to interfere my battle!" she warned Taidana.

"Yeah, yeah." he answered. _"Man, I can't believe that I'm fighting against him. That's not fair. I really wanted to fight that girl, but Netami don't want to fight against Ryoji."_

Yoji prepared himself as he took his chakrams out from his waist. He became worried that he have to fight against Taidana while protecting Yume. He knew that he won't make the same mistake again just like the last battle with Joyoku and Kuzuri.

"Take this!" Netami threw kunai from ninja tool scrolls that she usually kept them with her.

Yume and Yoji dodged Netami's kunai and suddenly Netami attacked Yume with a bo staff. As she attacked her, Yume blocked Netami's bo staff with her katana. Yoji became shocked when Netami attacked Yume.

"Yume!" He ran to help Yume, but he was intervened by Taidana.

"I won't let you interfere Netami's battle." said Taidana.

Yoji became tensed when fighting against Taidana and can't protect Yume while she was fighting against Netami.

_"Damn it... What should I do?"_

Yume became worried about Yoji fighting against Taidana as she was about to fight against Netami.

_"This is my first time fighting against a Konoha kunoichi,"_ thought Netami._ "This is going to get interesting."_

The Ally of the Byakugan used her katana as she prepared to face Netami. Netami throws kunai and shurikens at Yume, but Yume repel with her katana. Netami became tensed in fighting against a kunoichi from Konohgakure. Yume looked at Yoji fighting against Taidana.

_"Yoji-san... Please be careful."_

Yoji fought Taidana with his taijutsu while Taidana dodged his kicks and punches. After that, Taidana bit his thumb which he was about to use his summoning technique and slammed his hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

He summoned a black panther after he performed his technique. His black panther growled at Yoji with its glare eyes.

_"That's right. He's a summoning user_," thought Yoji _"In that case..."_

He used his chakrams to summon his flame demon.

"Honoo Ougi: Kaen Akuma!"

Using his chakrams, the two of them transformed into a flame demon. After a flame demon appeared, Taidana surprised as he didn't knew that Ryoji can summon his flame demon with his chakrams.

"Wow. This is my first time fighting against your flame demon." he commented. "Of course, it's true that I'm a summoning user after all."

"That's because you don't fight your opponents with your taijutsu. You always fight them with your Kuchiyose no Jutsu." Yoji exclaimed.

"I wonder who is better. Your flame techniques or my Kuchiyose no Jutsu?" the young boy asked.

"Go ahead and find out." Yoji answered.

The two began to fight with their animal partners, the flame demon and the black panther after they performed their techniques. On the other side, Yume was still fighting against Netami, a ninja tool kunoichi. Netami threw many ninja tools at her, but Yume blocked her ninja tools with her katana with wind chakra on its blade.

"Kaze no Mai!"

After Yume blocked Netami's ninja tools, she became furious when she can't fight against her.

"Tsk! Enough blocking my ninja tools! It gives me flusterated!" she angered.

"You can't defeat me. If you keep using your ninja tools, I'll block them completely," Yume explained.

Netami became tensed on fighting against a kunoichi from Konoha. She looked at her partner, realizing that Taidana was already defeated by Yoji.

_"That idiot... I can't believe he was already defeated,"_ thought Netami. She smirked as she knew that she made a trap for Yume before she began fighting her. _"Well, at least she didn't notice the explosive tags from the ground she's standing."_

When Taidana was defeated, Yoji's flame demon turned back into his chakrams and he putted them on his waist. Suddenly, Yoji sensed something amiss after he defeated Taidana with his flame demon. He can almost hear the noise somewhere.

_"What? Noise?"_ he wondered.

Listening to the noise, Yoji became shocked as he began to realize as he saw Netami performing a hand seal to activate the explosive tags and noticed that she planted them in the ground where Yume was standing. He went towards Yume in a quick speed and shielded her. When he shielded her, the explosive tags exploded into an big explosion.

Netami smirked with delight as she killed the two in an explosion. "Too easy."

However, the ninja tool kunoichi became shocked as she saw that Yoji and Yume survived from the explosion after the smoke disappeared. Yoji panted while shielding Yume and became unconscious. Yume caught him as he passed out.

"Impossible! How did you survived?" she implied.

Yume realized that Yoji used his flame technique to protect them when the explosive tags were activated. Before Netami realized that Yume and Yoji survived from the explosion, Yume became surprised as Yoji shielded her. While he was shielding her, he used his flame technique to protect them before the explosive tags were activated.

"Honoo Ougi: Kaen Kekkai!"

As he used his flame kekkai, flames appeared around them and the explosion appeared while the flames protected them. After they survived from the explosion, she realized that his technique was very powerful to withstand the explosion.

_"That technique he used was very powerful. At first, I didn't knew that the explosive tags were planted in the ground where I was standing,"_ she realized. _"It can withstand the explosion. I never knew that Yoji-san was so strong."_

She became worried about fighting against Netami and Taidana alone after Yoji passed out. Taidana, who was defeated by Yoji, regained his consciousness realized that Netami can't defeat Yume and began to help to her. She realized that he was helping her right now.

"I thought you're already defeated right now." she exclaimed.

"I can still fight, you know. I hate it when you're fighting against a Konoha kunoichi. That's not fair," explained Taidana.

"It's not like that I'm stealing your spotlight," she replied.

"Well, at least Ryoji was already unconscious." he exclaimed.

"You're right. After all, we still need to kill the challenger right now." Netami realized.

"Then what should do with him after we killed her?" he inquired.

Netami realized that Ryoji was protecting Yume all the time eversince he didn't attend the game. "I don't know, but I guess we could kill him as well." she answered.

She summoned her bo staff once again and Taidana also summoned his black panther as well as they were about to begin fighting against Yume while Yoji was unconscious. Yume hesitated on fighting the two nightmares alone.

Suddenly, kunai with explosive tags ambushed Netami and Taidana as a surprise attack much to their shock. As the explosive tags were activated, Yume took Yoji away from them. The explosive tags exploded, however Netami and Taidana survived from the explosion when they got away from them as well. After they survived, they saw a gray smoke.

"What the..." Netami saw two silhouettes inside the smoke and it disappeared, revealing the two kunoichi from Inyogakure before them. The first kunoichi with Chinese buns wore a red chinese blouse with dark blue shorts and maritial artists shoes. The second one with a tomboyish appearance and grey shoulder-length hair wore a grey Chinese sleeveless shirt with a white tiger on the back with long black pants with black shinobi sandals.

Yume became surprised as she realized that Rika and Pana came to her aid. "Rika, Pana!"

"You okay?" asked Pana.

Yume nodded.

Netami saw their forehead protectors on Pana's right arm and around Rika's forehead and realized that those two were from Inyogakure.

"Inyogakure, huh?" she realized. "What brings you two here?"

"To save our comrade." Rika answered.

"Comrade?" confused Taidana.

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Netami. "And how did you two found us?"

"Well, that's simple. We just heard an explosion before I threw kunai with explosive tags at you two," she answered.

"When we came, we found Yume and realized that she needs our help." explained Pana.

"So there you have it." Rika replied.

"Man, what should we do, Netami?" Taidana asked.

While Netami decided what they could do, Rika and Pana prepared themselves. Rika used her ninja tool scrolls and Pana used her fists. Netami knew that she had no choice, but to fight the two Inyo kunoichi.

"Guess we have to fight them first." she answered.

"You got to be kidding," he replied.

"I'm not kidding." she exclaimed

"Yume, just leave it to us. You look after him," said Rika.

"Okay, but please be careful." she replied.

"No problem. We got this." Pana explained.

Yume took Yoji to a safe place to make sure not to get in the battle. Netami prepared to summon her bo staff one more time while Taidana summoned his black panther as well once again.

"Get ready!" Rika and Pana prepared to be fight Netami and Taidana.


	15. Chapter 14: Difficult Decisions

**Chapter 14: Difficult Decisions**

After Rika and Pana saved Yume and Yoji, the two Inyo kunoichi prepared to battle the two of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares, Netami and Taidana. Yume looked after Yoji, who passed out when he used his flame barrier technique. She watched her two comrades preparing themselves.

_"Rika, Pana. Those two are difficult to fight with. You have to be careful..." _she thought.

As the battle began, Rika summoned two hand weapons from her two ninja tool summoning scrolls. Two brown redish tonfas appeared from her scrolls and the ninja tool kunoichi grabbed them.

"This will end very quickly," said Netami, demanding that this will be a quick battle.

She and Taidana went on separate battles as they exchanged their attacks. Netami attacked Rika with her bo staff while Taidana commanded his black panther attack Pana. Rika dodged and blocked the bo staff attacks with her tonfas. Pana evaded swiftly from the summoning black panther's claws. The two Inyo kunoichi became speechless when their opponents' strengths are extremly stronger even their chakra.

_"What's going on? His summoning partner was faster than any regular animal. This will be hard to defeat it." _thought Pana.

Netami began to perform her technique using with her ninja tool scroll.

"You're finished!"

She opened the scroll and summoned a kusarigama. She swiftly danced around while spinning the chain of her kusarigama.

"Kusarigama Ranbu!"

Rika began to dodge quickly from Netami's kusarigama and block it with her tonfas. However, her tonfas were broken because of the kusarigama attack. She backed away from the kusarigama and used her two scrolls again and went to the air. She opened them and began to perform ninja tool technique. She spun around with her both scrolls.

"Sogu: Ame no Ikari!"

Thousand of kunai popped out from her scrolls and went towards Netami. Netami blocked the kunai with her kusarigama while spinning it around.

"Heh. It's useless to defeat me."

Suddenly, more kunai came to her again, but this time it was different. Netami became shocked when she saw kunai with explosive tags as more of them attached to the ground after thrown by Rika. The explosive tags were already activated just now and Netami became trapped.

_"Damn it!"_

The explosive tags exploded, engulfing Netami in the explosion. Rika landed on the ground after performing her Ame no Ikari technique and defeated Netami.

"Did I defeat her?" she wondered.

However, Netami disappeared from the explosion much to Rika's confusing shock.

"What!"

She never realize that Taidana's summoning animal saved Netami from the explosion. The black panther carried her to Taidana and Netami got off from his summoning animal.

"I owe you one, Taidana." said Netami.

"Well, you're my partner. I don't know what to do if I didn't save you after defeating her partner." he exclaimed.

Rika became shocked that Taidana somehow already defeated Pana in a quick battle and saw Pana was hurt.

"Pana!" she cried as she ran towards Pana. "You're alright?"

Pana panted and stood up after she was almost defeated by Taidana. "I'm fine. That boy was very strong using his summoning technique," she explained.

Taidana commanded his black panther to return its orignal place after it saved his partner. After the black panther disappeared, Taidana prepared himself using his taijutsu.

"You're going to use only taijutsu?" Netami asked.

"Well, I'm sure that I'm going to use my taijutsu because of my opponent." he answered. "So I won't be using my other summoning animals right now."

"Hmph. We still need to defeat them before we're gonna kill the challenger and Ryoji." she reminded him.

"Yeah. Yeah."

Rika and Pana were having a difficult battle with their two strongest opponents: the summoning and taijutsu user and the ninja tool kunoichi. They tried to make a plan together to defeat them.

"Do you think that we have to use our technique right now, Pana?" asked Rika.

"I don't know. To think that we can't defeat the two strongest shinobi..."

"We should do it now. We can't let them kill Yume and that red-haired guy!"

Pana knew that she and Rika already found Yume after they saw her having time with Netami and Taidana and have to use their technique. "All right. I know it's urgent to use it while we're fighting them. Let's do it!"

"Yeah!" Rika agreed.

The kunoichi from Inyo focused their chakra while performing the technique. On the other hand, she saw her two Inyo comrades using the technique by focusing their chakra while looking after the unconscious Yoji. She realized that they are going to use _that technique_ using and focusing their chakra together when she's using her Byakugan to analyze their chakra resonating each other.

"That technique."

Netami and Taidana felt something stronger from the two kunoichi of Inyogakure. They realized very shockingly as they sensed their opponents' chakra were synchronizing each other while performing that technique.

"What the..."

"I have a bad feeling about this." Taidana realized as he became get tenser.

As the two kunoichi synchronized their chakra, they began to perform the technique which it was a collaboration jutsu with two charka resonating.

"Chakra no Kyomei!"

Their light and dark chakra resonated each other together. The powerful chakra caused Netami trembled. She became shocked as she had never seen their chakra joining together before.

_"I... I never seen that technique before!" _she thought. _"A collaboration jutsu with chakra resonating. I never heard of this technique before...!"_

Yume knew that Rika and Pana are performing a collaboration jutsu with called Chakra no Kyomei. She heard of this technique when she was training with Yori and taught by Yoshiro about the chakra collaboration jutsu.

_"Chakra no Kyomei is a collaboration jutsu used by Inyogakure. This technique is used with two shinobi with light and dark chakra. In order to perform it, the two must synochronizing their chakra to each other. It also requires teamwork."_

Rika and Pana finished resonating their chakra and prepared to defeat Netami and Taidana right now.

"Pana! Distract both of them while I'll prepare my ninja tool technique!" said Rika.

"Got it." she replied.

Pana began to attack Taidana and Netami in a quick speed. Much to their shock, they never knew that she could make a quick attack. They tried to dodged her attacks, but Pana began to attack Taidana. She began to use her blind technique that caused her opponent unnoticed her blind attacks.

"Zesshō: Mekuraken no Kuro Ryū!"

She gave Taidana a blinded attack and he felt pained as he received the unnoticed attack from her. He fell down to the ground as he became unconscious after being defeated by Pana.

"I can't believe..."

Netami became shocked as she saw Taidana was already defeated by Pana. She didn't realize that Pana already fought and defeated Taidana in a quick battle.

"Taidana!" she shouted as she ran towards them to help Taidana and fight Pana. However, before she was about to help Taidana, kunai with explosive tags ambushed her, much to her shock, and they exploded, thus engulfing Netami in the explosion.

Rika and Pana stood victory after they defeated the two opponents from the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. Yume realized that they defeated Netami and Taidana. After Rika and Pana defeated them, a door appeared before Yume and the unconscious Yoji. She realized that she completed her third stage of the nightmare game with Rika and Pana defeated Netami and Taidana.

However, Netami almost survived from the explosion and Taidana regained his consciousness. Rika and Pana became shocked as they realized that their two opponents won't give up.

"No way!" shocked Rika.

"They really don't want to give up." Pana realized.

"There's no way that a shinobi of nightmares became defeated by the likes of you... We can't lose to you." said Taianda as he stood up after regaining his consciousness.

"And we won't let you get away with it." Netami explained. "After all, we still need to kill the challenger right now once we defeated you two!"

"The challenger?" Pana replied.

"What are you talking about? And what do you mean that you still need to kill the _challenger_ after you defeated us?" Rika asked as she became confused about the challenger, which it was Yume.

"That's none of business! Outsiders like you are not allowed in this game!" the nightmare ninja tool kunoichi exclaimed. "I had enough with you two! I hate it when you're in my way!"

The two Inyo kunoichi became tensed about trying to defeat them again. The two nightmare shinobi prepared themselves as they were about to fight the Inyo kunoichi again. However, autumn leaves appeared out of nowwhere and ambushed Netami and Taidana completely before they make their next battle.

"What?" confused Taidana, watching autumn leaves surrounding him and Netami.

"What's going on? I can't see!" Netami looked around and realized that she can't see Rika and Pana.

Rika and Pana surprised that Yume used a genjutsu on them.

"Rika! Pana!"

They heard Yume called them and they went towards her and the unconscious Yoji.

"Thanks for saving us." Rika thanked her.

"There's no much time left. We have to enter that door." explained Yume as she carried Yoji's arm on her shoulder.

Rika became confusingly surprised when she saw a door appeared out of nowhere. "When did that door appear?"

"We can talk about it later, Rika. Yume's genjutsu won't take much longer on these two." explained Pana.

They hurried as they entered the door and the door closed itself, leaving Netami and Taidana behind. Yume's genjutsu with autumn leaves disappeared completely and Netami and Taidana realized that the genjutsu was dispelled and saw that Rika and Pana disappeared.

"Hey! Where did they go?" she asked.

"Man... They're gone already, and what's worse, the challenger from Konoha and Ryoji are gone too." Taidana realized.

"What!"

Netami realized that Yume and Ryoji escaped with Rika and Pana and knew that they lost the battle. She became displeased and angry as they cannot defeat Rika and Pana in order to kill Yume and Ryoji.

"Damn it! I can't believe they got away!" she angred as she stomped her foot on the ground. "Especially I can't get the chance to ask that traitor why he's protecting her!"

"I guess we lost." replied Taidana.

"When I see Ryoji again, I'll force him to answer!"

Meanwhile, after Yume and the others entered the door, they came to the fourth stage. This time, they found themselves in the mountains.

"Good thing we lost them," said Rika. "Where are we right now?"

"I guess we're in the mountain." answered Pana.

Rika wondered about an older boy who was with her all the time when she and Pana came to her aid.

"Hey, Yume. Who is that guy who's with you all the time?" she asked.

She realized that Rika and Pana noticed Yoji when she was carrying him right now although he was still unconscious. Of course, he is the student of Rika's otou-san and Pana's guardian, Seirin and Shaolin.

"This is Yoji-san. I met him when he saved my life." she answered.

"So he saved you from any harm?' asked Pana.

Yume nodded.

"Well, at least that we're safe." Rika mentioned.

After Rika and Pana saved her and Yoji from the tense battle against Netami and Taidana, Yume wondered why her comrades came to rescue her all the sudden.

"Rika, Pana..."

"Hm? What's wrong, Yume?" asked Rika.

"Why did you came to the Akumu no Kuni?" she asked.

Rika and Pana became surprised that Yume asked why did they came in order to rescue her.

"We came here to rescue you." Pana answered.

"Rescue me?"

"That's right," Rika nodded. "But it's not just only me and Pana, Seiichi, Kuta, Tsukida, Kazekiri-san, and Yori-kun also came to save you."

She became surprised that Yori also came to save her as well. She never knew that everyone from Inyogakure came to rescue her although she was kidnapped by Kabuto before he chose her as the nightmare challenger when he enticed her true feelings into emotionless.

"Everyone even Yori came to save me?"

"Yeah, but Pana and I got separated from them when we came to this land." she explained.

"I see." Yume realized. She never knew that Yori and the others were separated from Rika and Pana. Knowing that her protective twin brother came to save her, she became worried about the nightmare game. She remembered that she can't give up on the nightmare game if everyone came to save her. _"If they try to save to me and I might go back to Inyo with them, what should I do? I can't give up on the nightmare game."_

Rika and Pana saw Yume became worried on something and wondered that something was wrong.

"You okay?" asked Pana.

"Huh? Nothing." she replied. "Look after Yoji-san. I have to check to make sure that no one finds us."

She put Yoji down and left Rika and Pana to look after him. After she left, Rika and Pana wondered something had happened to Yume.

"Hey, is it me or Yume seems kinda worried just now?" she asked.

"I don't think it's you, Rika. Something bothered her just now after we told her that we came to rescue her." Pana answered.

"You're kinda right." Rika agreed. "I wonder what happen."

Pana began to realize about the _challenger_ that Netami was talking about. She became confused about they were try to kill the mystery challenger for no reason and began to ask Rika.

"Hey, Rika. Do you have any idea about who's the _challenger_?"

"Come to think of it. That girl who was a ninja tool expert like me said that before. What was that mean?" Rika wondered.

"I don't know, but we might going to find out somehow."

While Rika and Pana wondered about the mystery challenger, Yoji regained his consciousness as he opened his eyes and found himself in the mountains. Rika noticed that he woke up just now and went towards him.

"Oh, you're awake!" surprised Rika.

Yoji became slightly confused when he saw Rika and Pana as he didn't notice after he woke up. He realized that the two kunoichi were from Inyogakure because of their forehead protectors.

_"Those girls are from Inyogakure. What are they doing here?"_

"You must be Yoji-san Yume talked about. I'm Rika and this is Pana. We're her comrades."

He became surprised as he didn't knew that they're Yume's comrades after Rika introduced herself and Pana. He realized that Yume wasn't there just now.

"Where's Yume?" he asked.

"She looked around in the mountains to make sure that the enemy didn't find us." Pana answered.

Yoji stood up and went to find Yume. Much to Rika's confusion, she began to ask him. "Where you're going?"

"Going to find Yume!" he answered.

Later, Yume looked around when she used her Byakugan, making sure that the enemy didn't find her and the others. Realizing there were no enemies in the mountains right now, she deactivated her Byakugan. She began to worry about the nightmare game and the others from Inyo even Yori came to rescue her. She was unsure what she should do after Rika and Pana saved her and Yoji from Netami and Taidana. Also, she wondered where was Yori although he was separated from the others. Thinking about him, she knew that he always protect her ever since she first met him and realized that he was her twin brother for the first time.

"Yori, where are you?" she wondered as she became worried about him.

"Yume."

She heard someone calling her and turned around and saw Yoji.

"Yoji-san."

He went towards her and realized that Yume was okay.

"I'm been looking for you. What happened to Netami and Taidana?" he asked.

"Rika and Pana defeated them while you're unconscious. Right now, we're at the fourth stage." she answered.

"I see. That means we already entered the door after defeating Netami and Taidana."

She nodded. Yoji saw Yume became more worried and wondered what had bothered her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She heard Yoji asking her and began to answer, "It's just... I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Rika and Pana came to this land because they and the others are here to rescue me," she explained. "But... if I go with them, I can't complete the nightmare game."

Yoji began to realize that Rika and Pana were somehow not suppose to save Yume for some reasons. He wondered that outsiders like the two Inyo kunoichi who came to rescue Yume were not allowed in the nightmare game.

"Yume. I think I know why your comrades shouldn't suppose to be there."

"You do?" she replied.

"They're not suppose to be here because they're outsiders and not part of the game." he answered.

"Come to think of it. Rika and Pana didn't know about the game and me as the challenger." she realized.

"I believe that we have to keep a secret about the nightmare game and you as the challenger from your comrades."

Yume knew that she have to keep a secret from Rika and Pana although they didn't know about the game even her as the challenger.

"Okay." she replied.

"Yume!"

They heard someone calling her and saw Rika and Pana came towards them.

"Rika. Pana."

"Is everything alright?" asked Pana.

"Yes, there are no enemies around here right now. We should get moving right now." Yume answered.

"Anyway, we need to find the others in this place," said Pana. "I'm sure they're alright."

"Yeah. Once we're together, we will go back to Inyo and Yoji-san could come with us." Rika replied.

Yume, however, was still worried about Rika and Pana as outsiders and were not part of the game. She wondered that they might notice that the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares was herself. She knew that she have to keep secret from her comrades about the nightmare game and her as the challenger.

"Let's go find them. I could use my Byakugan in order to find them." Yume exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're right. With your Byakugan, we could find them in no time." Rika agreed with Yume.

"Well, are you waiting for? Let's go." replied Pana.

The three kunoichi and Yoji went to look for the others who were also came to rescue Yume and got separated from Rika and Pana. Later, somewhere in the mountains, a mysterious figure with a white cloak appeared watching Yume and the others afar while hiding between the cliffs of the mountains. Under a white cloak, it was actually Megami, who came to the Akumu no Kuni to meet Yori.

"So Kabuto-san was right. Ryoji-kun was protecting Yume right now." she realized. "In the case... I should entertain them just in case or rather... separate Yume from the others."

She began to summon a Akuma Akumu in order to separate Yume from the others for some reasons. An Akuma Akumu appeared with its appearance of a giant shadow-like bird with red eyes.

"I want you to entertain the others and destroy the challenger. If you can't kill the challenger and they defeated you, then I want you separate the challenger from her comrades and Ryoji-kun." she commanded.

The Akuma Akumu nodded and flew to the sky as it followed Yume and the others without letting them notice. After it left and followed them, Megami smiled slyly as she knew that the game's purpose for her and the six shinobi of nightmares.

"The Seven Stages of Nightmares has a purpose for us: to kill a challenger's dreams as nightmares," Megami described. "Yume... Show me... your true power as the Ally of the Byakugan."

With Megami's tricks in her sleeves, Yume must choose difficult decisions: completing the nightmare game or return to Inyo with the others without completing the game.


	16. Chapter 15: Yori and Unmei

This chapter will about the battle between Yori and Unnemi after he and Yumekui got separated from Kazekiri while fighting against one of the nightmare shinobi, Yoku.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Yori and Unmei<strong>

Somewhere in a misty forest, Yori carried Yumekui on his back when the young boy was somehow unconscious. Yori became worried about Kazekiri fighting against the unknown opponent.

"I hope Kazekiri-san is all right... Fighting against a strongest enemy we encountered," he wondered.

Before Yori and Yumekui got somehow separated from Kazekiri, they were still looking for Tsukida and the others, who were separated from Yori and Kazekiri.

"Kazekiri, did you find them yet?" Yori asked.

The wind spirit tried to find the others by feeling the wind around her. As the wind tells Kazekiri on finding the others, she knew that she can't find them.

"I believe I can't find them." she answered.

"I see." he replied.

"Don't worry, Yori-san. I'm sure we'll find them." said Yumekui.

Yori nodded as he agreed with Yumekui.

"Yeah, you're right."

Suddenly, Yori felt a cold breeze for strange reasons while he, Kazekiri, and Yumekui were looking for the others. He tried to warm himself after feeling very cold. Kazekiri saw Yori became cold.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know. I'm not sure it's very cold in this forest," he answered.

_"Cold?"_ thought Yumekui as he wondered why it was cold in the forest. The young boy began to realize that someone was coming because of the cold breeze. _"Don't tell me!"_

All the sudden, ice spears ambushed the three, much to their shock. Yori took Yumekui with him and dodged the ice spears. Kazekiri also dodged them as well. After they dodged the ice spears, someone appeared before them.

"Well, I think one of you is not the challenger that I was looking for. Oh well, at least I could fight you two."

Much to Yumekui's shock, he knew the person, who was responsible for summoning cold breezes in the forest. The enemy before them was actually Yoku.

_"Yoku! So that's why he caused cold breezes in this forest."_ he realized.

Yoku became confused as he saw Yumekui who was with Yori and Kazekiri.

_"Huh? What's Yumekui doing here in the Akumu no Kuni? He's not suppose to come here. This place is very dangerous even the Akuma Akumu, after all."_

"Yumekui, stay here. I don't want you to get hurt." said Yori.

Yumekui nodded. "Be careful. He's very powerful," he warned them.

He went and hide behind the trees as he watched Yori and Kazekiri were about to fight Yoku. Yoku knew that fighting two opponents would be a tricky battle.

_"Two against one, huh? It's too bad Ikari wasn't with me right now although he told me to split up from him to search for the challenger,"_ thought Yoku as he was about to fight Yori and Kazekiri. _"The problem is... why the two of them came here? Of course, outsiders are not allowed in the nightmare game."_

Yoku began to perform his technique using cold breeze in the forest as he prepared to fight against the two.

"Hyoton: Hiryudan no Jutsu!"

An ice dragon appeared before Yoku and attacked Yori and Kazekiri. Kazekiri used her wind technique with her katana to destroy the ice dragon.

"Kazekiri no Mai!"

She danced with her katana and summoned a tornado. A tornado destroyed the ice dragon, much to Yoku's shock. He became tensed on fighting against the wind spirit and Yori. He also realized that Kazekiri is a wind spirit all along.

_"I get it now. She's a wind spirit. I should have known that."_

"Be careful, Yori. This opponent is an Ice release user," she warned.

"Yeah. I got it." replied Yori.

Yumekui realized that Yoku was a very stronger nightmare shinobi, using Ice release ninjutsu. He began to worry about Yori and Kazekiri if they can't defeat Yoku.

_"Hyoton no Yoku, the second strongrest shinobi of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares,"_ Yumekui explained._ "He's different to Ikari, who is the first strongest shinobi of the nightmares. His ice release jutsu is very powerful... He was born with a natural element: Ice. Despite having an ice release element, he is not a member of the cursed clan from the Mizu no Kuni. Of course, the Yuki clan."_

Yoku began to use his ice spears again and threw them towards his two opponents. Yori and Kazekiri once again dodged the ice spears.

"We have to stop him from using his ice release techniques," explained Kazekiri. "I'll perform a genjutsu on him. Once my genjutsu distracted him, finish him off."

"Understood." he replied.

Kazekiri performed a genjutsu to distract Yoku from using his ice release jutsu. A powerful cyclone appeared and distracted Yoku as it began to attack him. Yoku got attacked by Kazekiri's cyclone genjutsu and realized that he can't see because of it.

_"What? I can't see them!"_

As Kazekiri already distracted Yoku, she began to tell Yori to defeat him. "Yori, now's your chance!"

Yori went behind Yoku while he was distracted and caught in the cyclone. Kazekiri began to dispel her genjutsu as Yori went behind the ice release user. The cyclone disappeared and Yoku realized that Yori went behind him, letting him let his guard down on purpose.

_"Damn it!"_

"Hissatsu: Kurai Shōgeki Hado!"

He stunned his opponent with his elbow and then a powerful palm heel strike, sending a large amounts of dark energy waves through Yoku's body. After Yori defeated him, Yoku landed on the ground after receiving Yori's powerful dark technique.

"I defeated him."

However, Yoku, who was defeated, somehow became ice. Much to Yori's confusion, he realized that Yoku he and Kazekiri fought was an ice clone.

"What?" Yori confused.

"Hyo Bunshin?" Kazekiri realized.

Suddenly, they heard a scream somewhere and saw Yumekui was held hostage by Yoku. The young boy was now unconscious as he was held by Yoku.

"Yumekui!" Yori shocked.

He tried to save him, but Yoku summoned an kunai made of ice and pointed to Yumekui's neck. Yori stopped, realizing that Yoku threatened him by killing Yumekui.

"Don't rush, Yori! We'll find a way to save Yumekui," explained Kazekiri.

"I won't be waiting any longer for you two. If you can't make a strategy to save Yumekui, you know what'd happen to him." reminded Yoku.

Yori and Kazekiri knew that they need to make a new strategy in order to save Yumekui. Yori began to worry about Yumekui after the young boy was held hostage by Yoku.

"Don't worry, Yori. We'll save him," she exclaimed.

"But how?" he inquired. "We can't decide a new plan any longer."

"I already decided a new plan just now." she stated.

"You did?"

"Trust me." she replied.

With Kazekiri's plan to save Yumekui, Yori knew that he have to trust the wind spirit with her strategy. Kazekiri silently spoke to the wind around her and Yori for help. As the wind spirit spoke quietly with the wind, Yoku became suspicious when he realized that they didn't make a plan at some point.

_"Something's not right."_ he thought.

All the sudden, the wind summoned tree leaves and ambushed Yoku, much to his surprising confusion.

"What?"

Yori didn't realize that Kazekiri told the wind to summon the tree leaves.

"Yori, save Yumekui. He's distracted right now." exclaimed Kazekiri.

He knew that he have to save Yumekui right now. He went towards the distracted Yoku and attacked him with a punch. Yoku let go of Yumekui and Yori caught him after he punched the ice release user. Yoku realized that Kazekiri distracted him to let Yori punch him and save Yumekui. After Yori caught and saved Yumekui, Yoku became enraged when Yori punched him.

"You gonna pay for that!" warned Yoku.

He began to use his ice release technique on Yori after he became enraged. He summoned ice shurikens and threw at him. However, Kazekiri blocked his ice shurikens as she came in time to save Yori.

"Kazekiri-san."

"Why do you always interfere me, Kaze ojou-san?" he asked.

Kazekiri knew that Yori need to run away while she'll handle Yoku in battle. "Yori, I need you take Yumekui with you and go find the others without me."

Much to his shock, he never knew that Kazekiri will fight Yoku alone even she told him to find Tsukida and the others without her. He can't leave Kazekiri if he needs to find Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana.

"No! I can't leave you!" he protested.

"Listen, Yori. This opponent is very strong even his ice release technique. There is no way to defeat him," she explained.

"But Kazekiri-san!"

Yoku became impatient and prepared his next move on the two and the unconscious Yumekui. He summoned ice spears again, but this time he used his ice spears from the ground. Once summoned, the ice spears went towards Yori and Kazekiri. Kazekiri used her signature technique, Kazekiri no Mai, at the ice spears while protecting Yori and Yumekui. She never knew that using ice spears from the ground was very ambushing and trickiest strategy that Yoku used.

"You're in my way! I hate it when anyone, who helps their comrades, interferes me!" he exclaimed.

With Kazekiri's wind technique and Yoku's ice spears clashing each other, the explosion appeared engulfing the wind spirit and the ice release and nightmare shinobi. After the explosion disappeared, Yori stood survived while carrying Yumekui. He realized that Kazekiri and Yoku disappeared after the clash and explosion. He looked around and tried to find Kazekiri.

"Kazekiri-san! Where are you?" he yelled. "Kazekiri-san!"

Calling for her, he knew that it was no use when there was no reply from her. He knew that he's on his own after the extreme battle against Yoku. He also need to take care of Yumekui, who was still unconscious, and find the others who were separated from him and Kazekiri. After finding and reuniting with them, he knew that they still must to save Yume.

"I'm sure... that you're okay, Kazekiri-san. I'll find Tsukida and the others. Also... I'll find you as well." he promised.

After remembering what happened, Yori knew that he's still finding Kazekiri and the others. He kept walking while carrying Yumekui on his back in the misty forest.

_"After I promised Kazekiri that I'll find her and Tsukida with the others, a door just appeared out of nowhere. I entered the door and found out I came to the same forest, but with a mist."_

As he kept walking, he felt tired just now after carrying Yumekui and looked for a place to rest. He looked around and found a place to rest. There was a shelter surrounded by the misty forest. He went inside the shelter and saw a bed as he entered. Yori lay Yumekui on the bed to rest. After Yumekui rested on the bed, Yori became more anxious as he began worry about Tsukida and the others even Kazekiri.

"I hope that everyone are alright after we were separated by the whirlwind," he said to himself. "Right now, I got separated from Kazekiri-san after the battle with the Ice release user. I'm sure she'll be alright as well."

Suddenly, Yori sensed someone somewhere in the misty forest from outside just now. He went outside to find the enemy somewhere and realized that no one here.

_"The enemy must be hiding somewhere just now."_ he stated.

He looked again to find the enemy in the misty. As he looked, someone ambushed Yori in a suprise attack, much to the Inyo shinobi's shock. Yori saw the enemy with a black cloak ambushing him and blocked the kunai with his dark katana. As he blocked the enemy's attack, he began to use his dark technique on his opponent. His dark chakra appeared on his fists as the dark dragon. He attacked his dark cloaked enemy with his dark dragon fist, using his dark technique.

"Kuro Ryuken!"

The enemy received the attack from Yori's Kuro Ryuken and landed on the ground. Yori went towards the dark cloaked enemy to find out who's the person behind the black cloak. However, as he took the hood off, the enemy was revealed as a clone with dark chakra. After revealing as a Yami Bunshin, Yori became confused and confused that the enemy he encountered was using a dark clone technique.

"What!"

Realizing that the enemy can use dark release techniques from Inyogakure, he became confused when he encountered a yami bunshin and fought it. He tried to look to find the real enemy, who was trying to attack him. All the sudden, the enemy just came out from hiding behind the trees. The enemy revealed himself as the shinobi with a black sleeveless attire and a mask with a black dragon on the right side.

_"He just come out. He was hiding behind the trees all along?"_ he thought.

The shinobi with a dragon mask realized that Yori was the one that he was looking for. He knew that he must kill Yori.

"You're Yori Yuksaki?" the enemy inquired.

Much to Yori's surprise and shock, he never knew the enemy was looking for him. However, what is the dragon masked shinobi's reason? Why the enemy was looking for him?

"What if I am?" Yori replied.

"I believe you are Yori. I'm been looking for you." he answered.

"Looking for me? Why?"

The black dragon masked shinobi began to fight Yori after he fought and defeated his yami bunshin while hiding behind the trees in a mist. He knew that Yori's the one Megami mentioned to him before he began searching for him.

"I can't answer your question. You'll find out if you fight me."

Yori became tensed about fighting the dragon masked shinobi, who was looking for him for a reason.

_"I don't get it. He can't answer me why he's looking for me,"_ Yori thought.

Yori knew that he have to fight his opponent in order to find out why. He prepared himself as he was about to fight the shinobi wtih a black dragon mask. He went towards the black dragon masked shinobi with dark chakra cloaked on his hands. The two exchanged their attacks on each other and fought endlessly. The shinobi with a dragon mask blocked Yori's attacks and realized that he can't catch up with him. He rendered Yori immobile with his shadow while blocking his attacks. Yori became shocked that the dragon masked shinobi can use his own shadow, binding him.

Realizing that Yori was now immobilized, the shinobi began to use his technique to defeat him. He used his elbow on Yori, much to his surprising shock as he realized that technique.

_"That technique!"_ he shocked.

He began to use his technique with his elbow and then giving a powerful palm heel strike, sending dark waves surrounded through Yori's body.

"Hissatsu: Kurai Shogeki Hado!"

Realizing, Yori didn't knew that the shinobi with a black dragon mask can use his own technique as he became slightly surprised, but more confused about his dark ultimate technique used by someone else. He got attacked and landed on the ground as he felt that he can't continue to fight his strong opponent who used the same dark techniques as him. Yori panted and slowly stood up a little.

The black dragon masked shinobi realized that Yori was not prepared. He also knew that it was not the time to kill him right now and began to spare Yori's life for now.

"I see you're not ready, Yori. To think that you're the Inyo shinobi, I believe that it's not the time for me." he explained.

Confusing, Yori began to ask the shinobi with a specific question. "I'm not ready? What did you mean?"

The dragon masked shinobi knew that he have to answer Yori's question with no choice. His answer, of course, was to kill Yori under Megami's orders.

"I cannot kill you because you're not strong enough to fight me," he answered. "That's why it's not the time after I defeated you easily."

Yori became extremely shocked as the unnamed shinobi answered that he can't kill him due to not strong enough to fight him. He never knew the reason was to kill him. He also wondered about his techniques the dragon masked shinobi used: the Yami Bunshin no Jutsu, his shadow that binded him, and his ultimate dark technique Kurai Shogeki Hado.

"Tell me. Those dark techniques. Why you used them? They were used by the shinobi from Inyogakure," he exclaimed. "And that ulitmate technique you used to defeat me, that's my technique I developed! Who are you?"

The shinobi knew that Yori didn't knew about something similiar between the two. He began to answer once again.

"I'm Unmei. You and I are the same," he stated.

Yori heard the shinobi said that he was the same as him. Confused, he became unsure what was the dragon masked shinobi talking about.

"What are you talking about?"

"You also... have the same relationship with _her_." he answered as he turned away from Yori.

Unmei's answer about him and Yori were the same and the relationship with someone bewildered Yori. He can't tell what was that mean; the relationship with _her_ confused him.

_"The same relationship with her?"_ he puzzled as he somehow slightly realized that he had a relationship with a girl for unknown reasons. "What was that mean? I don't understand! Who's her?"

Unmei never realize that Yori doesn't know about the relationship with her for no reason. He can't believe that his enemy doesn't remember back then. He turned his head at Yori and showed him with a sensitive face.

"You should have known her back then, you're the one who showed her the right path of her true self," answered Unmei. He summoned dark flames surrounded once again and as he was about to disappear in front of Yori.

Yori stood up quickly as he realized that Unmei was about to leave. "Wait! I'm not done with you!" he yelled. "What do you mean I should have known her? I don't get it! I don't remember showing **her** the right path of her true self! Answer me, Unmei!"

As he quickly tried to stop Unmei from leaving and went towards him, Yori fell down on the ground and realized that he was not recovered yet.

"Very pitiful, Yori. Trying to stop me from leaving won't help you to find an answer about her," he explained.

Yori became irritated when Unmei told him that he can't get an answer by stopping him from leaving. He looked down to the ground in disappointment after realizing that he can't do anything to get an answer. Unmei knew that he'll kill Yori later once he'll get stronger as possible.

"I'll give you one chance, become stronger as possible in order to defeat me. If you're stronger but you cannot defeat me, I will kill you," said Unmei.

Yori looked at Unmei with a surprise look on his face when he gave him a chance to become stronger, however, with a confusion. Before Unmei completely disappear, he said one last thing to Yori.

"I won't let you... interfere the **game** by saving Yume." he warned him as he disappeared in the dark flames.

After Unmei disappeared, Yori became surprisingly shocked when the dragon masked shinobi warned him that he would interfere the "_game_" while trying to save Yume for no reasons at some point. He became unsure for what Unmei warned him about saving Yume while unnoticing that he was interfering something he didn't knew was true or not. What was the meaning of the warning he received? He began to try to think what is the meaning of Unmei's warning.

"I'm interfering the _game_... by saving Yume?" he repeated the words from Unmei's warning.

With Yori's complicated confusion about saving Yume and interfering the game Unmei warned him about, what had happen to him all this time after the battle with the black dragon masked shinobi?


	17. Chapter 16: Lost Souls

This chapter will be about Yume found souls in the Akumu no Kuni after she was separated from Yoji, Rika and Pana.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Lost Souls<strong>

Yume and Yoji joined Rika and Pana to search for Yori, Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, and Kazekiri while walking in the mountains. Yume used her Byakugan to find the others. However, she can't find them in the mountains and deactivated her kekkei genkai.

"Well?" asked Pana.

Yume shook her head. The two Inyo kunoichi knew that the others were not in the mountains, much to their dismay.

"That's all I try to find them," she explained.

Yoji knew that their comrades were very important to them and had to cheer Rika and Pana. "Don't worry, we'll find them. All you two need is hope and have faith in them."

They knew that they shouldn't be worried after Yoji convinced them and agreed with them.

"Thanks, Yoji-san." Rika thanked him.

Yume knew that Yoji convinced them not to worry and became content. Suddenly, she felt something following them. She used her Byakugan again and realized that something who followed them wasn't here. She knew that something bothered her just now. Rika saw Yume became concerned and began to ask her.

"Yume? Something bothering you?"

Yume knew that it was somewhere from the sky and looked up to check by using her Byakugan if it did followed them. In the sky, she saw a silhouette of a flying figure, soaring in the clouds.

_"Is that..."_ she wondered, trying to figure out what was inside the clouds, flying around.

All the sudden, it came out from the clouds and revealed itself as a giant shadow-like bird with red eyes. After it came out, it began to chase Yume and the others after realizing that she knew that it followed them all along. Yoji, Rika, and Pana shocked as they didn't realize that it came out from the clouds and began to went towards them.

"What was that!" shocked Rika.

"No time to ask! Run!" Yoji shouted.

They quickly ran as the bird chased after them in the mountains. The bird went ahead of them and covered their path from escaping. Much to their shock, they can't escape from the bird.

"Why is that giant bird chasing us?" asked Pana.

"That's not an ordinary bird," Yume explained.

"What do you mean?"

"That bird is an Akuma Akumu," the Hyuga's ally answered to Pana.

Rika also began to realize about the Akuma Akumu with a appearance of a giant shadow-like bird.

"You mean it followed us all the time while we're trying to find our comrades?" she inquired.

Yoji became annoyed when the Akuma Akumu followed them. He knew that they have to defeat it after they can't escape.

"Which means that we have to defeat it. Otherwise, we can't escape from that bird." he stated as he began to use his chakrams.

The girls knew they can't escape unless they need to defeat it. Rika prepared herself as she used her ninja tool scrolls and Pana used her taijutsu.

"I can't believe that there's no choice," replied Pana.

After they prepared to fight, the Akuma Akumu used its wings and summoned a whirlwind. Its whirlwind attacks Yume, Yoji, Rika, and Pana but Yoji summoned his flame demon to protect them. The flame demon protected Yume, Rika, and Pana as Yoji went towards the Akuma Akumu. He used his fire release technique as he was about to attack it.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

He summoned a giant fireball and used it to attack the shadow bird. The Akuma Akumu tried to dodge Yoj's giant fireball by using its flight. Evading the fireball, it used its black feathers and attacked Yoji. As the black feathers went towards Yoji, he dodged the feathers. Rika began to help Yoji when she was to summon chains to bind the Akuma Akumu. Pana and Rika grabbed the chains that were binded the Akuma Akumu. As the Akuma Akumu was binded, Yume used her katana with wind chakra and began to attack it.

"Kaze no Mai!"

She danced around and passed through the shadow bird.

The shadow bird of the Akuma Akuma became defeated and disappeared.

"We did it!" exclaimed Rika.

"We better move on right now," Pana stated. "We might get into trouble if we don't get moving."

"Right. Let's go." the ninja tool expert agreed.

As they were about to move on, Yoji sensed something amiss. He turned around and began to shockly realize that something wasn't right.

_"What?"_

Shadows from the Akuma Akumu they fought and defeated emerged into the shadow bird again, much to Yoji's shock. Yoji knew that the Akuma Akumu revived itself by using its shadows.

"I don't think we can't move on right now..." explained Yoji.

The girls heard Yoji as they turned around and became shocked.

"Huh! I thought we defeated it already," Rika shocked.

"I don't believe it!" Pana displeased about what happened before they tried to leave.

As the Akuma Akumu was revived, its summoned a giant whirlwind by flapping its wings. Yume became shocked as the giant whirlwind went towards them.

"Watch out! It's coming towards us!" warned Yume.

They tried to run away, but it was too late. The whirlwind engulfed them and suddenly disappeared, taking the four shinobi as well while they were trapped.

Megami appeared and the shadow bird landed on the mountains after it trapped Yume and her friends in the whirlwind. She went towards her Akuma Akumu of the shadow red-eyed bird and smiled with delight.

"Excellent work on separating Yume from her friends," said Megami as she patted its head. "You can go now."

The shadow red-eyed bird nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Megami smiled that her plan to separate Yume from Yoji and her two comrades became a success.

"I'm sure Yume will find the others after being separating by her friends," she stated. She gave a devious smile as she knew that Ryoji can't protect her although he got separated from Yume. "But will she be alright without Ryoji-kun protecting her? Oh, I shouldn't be worry about that."

Megami knew that she wanted to meet Yume someday during the game. And also... she might fight her as well.

"To think that I might fight her when I'll meet her in person, it feels like that it was fate," she stated.

After what happened to Yume and the others, she began to leave the mountains after making a brief comment.

_"Yume. I hope you will realize that you and I have the same fate,"_ she complied as she disappeared into black feathers.

Later, Yume laid unconscious after engulfed by the whirlwind. She woke up and found herself at a red shrine gate in front of her.

"Where am I?" she asked to herself after she regained her consciousness.

She also began to realize that she didn't see Rika, Pana, and Yoji around here. She tried to look around as she activated her Byakugan.

"Rika! Pana! Yoji-san! Where are you?" shouted Yume.

However, there was no reply from them. Yume knew that she got separated from them by the whirlwind. Realized about what happened, she also knew that Yoji can't protect her right now. She had to protect herself on her own until she finds Rika, Pana, and Yoji along the way. Also, she became confused that why there was a shrine gate. She began to enter and saw a Shinto shrine surrounded by souls.

"What are those?" she wondered as she saw floating souls. She went towards one of the mysterious souls she encountered. All the sudden, she heard a voice from the soul. Confused, she began to think how did she can hear a voice from one of the souls. "Those souls, I heard a voice. How did I do that?"

When Yume tried to find about the souls of the shrine in the Akumu no Kuni, a voice appeared.

"The only thing I can tell you... is that you can hear them because of your emotionless feelings."

Yume heard someone and realized that it might be an enemy somewhere around the shrine.

"Who's there? Show yourself," Yume demanded.

"The challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares, I see."

The dark flames appeared out of nowhere, much to Yume's surprise. Someone came out from the dark flames as they were about to disappear. After the flames disappeared, it was Unmei once again. Yume realized that the boy with a black dragon mask was the one who answered her question about the souls he was talking about.

"Then you must be Yume Yukisaki, the Ally of the Byakugan." Unmei complied.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Unmei. Although you're the challenger, I'm not one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares," he answered. "I never knew that you can hear the voices of the lost souls. Former challengers cannot hear them when they came to this shrine during the game of nightmares three years ago."

"The lost souls?" replied Yume.

He began to fight Yume as he didn't answer to her for strange reasons.

"I will tell you once I can see your true strength as the Hyuga clan's ally." he exclaimed.

He used shadows to attack Yume after he told her that he must see her true strength. The Hyuga's ally dodged the shadows and used her katana infused with wind chakra.

"Kazekiri!"

A wind slashes the shadows and they disappeared completely. All the sudden, as Yume defeated the shadows, Unmei ambushed her from behind. She blocked his attacks with her Juken. Blocking the attacks, she began to use her chakra no mesu to render his movements. The dragon masked shinobi realized that he can't move from Yume's chakra no mesu. She began to use her a technique with a stance that was used by the Hyuga clan itself, the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

"Hakke Rokujuyon Sho!"

She striked Unmei's tenketsu with sixty-four plams, defeating him. Unmei knocked out on the ground as he was unable to move or stand. The ally realized that she defeated him very quickly, however something strange all the sudden. Her opponent she fought became an Akuma Akumu, much to her suprising shock. Yume realized that the real Unmei was hiding somewhere and looked around to find him. Where could he hiding and why did he used an Akuma Akumu to make her defeat it in his image?

Suddenly, Unmei ambushed Yume from behind and restrained both hands into his hand as he summoned a dark katana around her neck. She became shocked that she let her guard down when he restrained her.

"Your life ends here," he stated.

He was about to kill her with his dark katana, but something caused him to notice and release her on purpose. He became confused that he saw memories about her and Yori. Of course, Megami stated that he and Yori were the same.

_"Those memories... It feels like..."_

Unmei realized that not only Yori was same as him and had a relationship with Megami, but also have a relationship with Yume. Exactly, Yori's twin sister. He never realized that Yume was a twin sister of Yori. Realizing, he knew that he was also a twin brother to her because he was the _same_ as Yori.

Yume noticed that Unmei left an opening for her, having a chance to defeat him. She went towards Unmei and used her Juken on his chest. He felt a sudden attack from her and became unconscious as he dropped down on the ground. After Unmei became defeated, Yume began to unmask him, trying to see his face while he was unconscious. However, dark flames appeared once again, surrounding Unmei's body. The ally became shocked and back away from the flames after attempting to unmask him.

_"What?"_ thought Yume after she saw Unmei disappeared all the sudden.

After the dark flames disappeared as well, they were reappeared once more and Unmei came out. Yume never realize that Unmei recovered himself after she defeated him.

"I won't let you to see my face when you're trying to take the mask off from me," exclaimed Unmei.

Yume knew that something strange with him after he purposely let go of her for no reason while he restrained her.

"Why can't I see your face?" she asked.

"If I show my face to you, you will never believe who I am," he answered. "To tell you the truth, I'm the same as your twin brother."

Yume shocked as Unmei knew Yori. She can't tell that Unmei was telling the truth if it's true or not.

"How do you know Yori?" she asked once again with a suspicious look on her face. "You're the same as him? I don't understand."

Unmei knew that Yume doesn't understand at all because he saw memories of her and Yori.

"I tried to kill you while restraining you, but I saw memories of you and him. Yori promised himself and to you that he'll protect you." he explained.

"Memories?" she inquired.

He nodded. "That is why I'm the same as him. I met your twin brother from another place in the Akumu no Kuni."

Yume didn't realize that Unmei met Yori in the different place before she encountered him at the shrine.

"You did?"

"However, I gave him a warning... that he must not interfere the game by trying to save you," he stated. "If he tried to save you, something will happen."

Yume comprehended that something will might happen if Yori and the others tried to her and did not complete the nightmare game. She began to ask him again.

"Something will happen? What do you mean?"

"You will find out once you reunited with your comrades and your twin brother as well." he answered.

Suddenly, a door in the front of the Shinto shrine appeared and Yume realized. However, she became confused.

"When did that door appeared right now? I didn't complete the fourth stage," she realized.

"It's because you defeated the Akuma Akumu with an appearance of the shadow-like red-eyed bird before you were separated from your comrades," explained Unmei. "You should go right now."

Yume knew that she defeated the bird before she was separated from Yoji, Rika, and Pana. But something bothering her right now. She remembered that Unmei mentioned the souls she encountered.

"Unmei, right? Tell me about those souls. How do you know that it was my emotionless feelings who attracted them?"

Unmei knew that he promised to tell her about the lost souls after he was already defeated.

"I see, you want to know why. Very well, I'll tell you. These lost souls were the former challengers who failed to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. Three years ago, former challengers encountered them and did not hear them when they came to the shrine in the Akumu no Kuni. In this shrine, they were killed by the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and became lost souls as well. Kabuto used and enticed your feelings into emotionless, enabling you to hear them when you came here to this shrine."

Yume also began to wonder about why Kabuto made her true feelings into emotionless feelings as he enticed her about the nightmare game.

"Now I think about it, why did Kabuto enticed my feelings?" she confused.

"Orochimaru used test challengers to complete his created game before he began to not use it anymore. However, there was another way. It was to make a nightmare challenger, one must entice the feelings from the victim into emotionless. That's why he used you to become the challenger." answered Unmei.

Yume knew that she became the challenger because Kabuto enticed her true feelings. She can't believe that he did this to her as the challenger to complete game for the very first time. After Unmei explained about the lost souls and Kabuto enticed her feelings, she went towards the door as it opened itself for her.

"I hope you will make the right decision, Yume." he convinced to her.

She heard Unmei telling her about making decisions during the game.

"I already made my decision. I will complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares before I'll return with my friends." she told him.

As she entered the door, it closed itself and disappeared. Unmei understood that it was Yume's decision to complete the game before returning with her comrades.

"So you told her about the lost souls and the reason why I entice her feelings into emotionless. How unusual."

He heard someone talking to her as he turned around and saw Kabuto came to him after Yume left.

"Kabuto..." he realized.

With Kabuto came to the shrine in the Akumu no Kuni, Unmei knew that the medical-nin have unusual business for some reasons.


	18. Chapter 17: Separate Encounters

This will be about Rika and Pana encounter a demon with flames, Yori's encounter with the white-cloaked kunoichi and Yume encounter with the boy with the kekkei genkai. You know who I'm talking about ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Separate Encounters<strong>

Somewhere in the forests with bamboo trees, Rika and Pana appeared unconscious. Rika began to wake up and saw Pana was unconscious. She also realized that she and Pana were in the different location due to the separation from Yume and Yoji.

"Where are we?" she wondered.

Suddenly, a flame demon appeared before her and the unconscious Pana, much to Rika's shock. Rika became frighten after seeing the demon with flames surrounding its body.

"What is that!" she shocked.

She began to use her kunai, however, it went towards the unconscious Pana. Rika became shocked that the demon was probadly to kill Pana. She tried to save her, only to stop herself as she realized that it was licking Pana's wound from her right arm. As the demon tried to heal Pana, the wound suddenly disappeared. Rika never knew that something like the demon can make the wound disappear by licking it. The ninja tool kunoichi realized that the flame demon saved her and Pana from the whirlwind.

"Hey. Did you just save us back then?" she asked the flame demon, curiously.

It nodded.

Just then, Pana opened her eyes slowly, regaining her consciousness. Rika surprised as Pana stood up slowly and began to help her get up.

"Rika, what happened?" she asked.

"We got serparated," Rika answered.

After she regained consciousness, she saw a flame demon before her and Rika, much to her confusing shock.

"A monster?"

"It's all right, Pana. This creature's our ally. It saved us from the whirlwind and healed you," Rika explained.

"It did?"

"Yeah."

Pana began to realize that Yume and Yoji wasn't here after the whirlwind disappeared.

"If that thing saved us, then what happened to Yume and Yoji-san?" she inquired.

Rika shook her head although they got separated from them after the mysterious creature saved them from the whirlwind. When Pana mentioned about Yoji, the flame demon reacted anxiously. Of course, Yoji's chakrams in the form of the hellfire demon. It knew that he can't save its master and Yume from the whirlwind. Knowing that Yoji and Yume are somewhere in this nightmare land, the flame demon knew that it have to find them after saving Yume's comrades.

Noticing the flame demon became anxious, Rika began to ask, "What's the matter, fella? Is something wrong?"

Pana began to notice that the flame demon was worried about Yoji when she mentioned about him.

"I think it worries about Yoji-san. After all, I did mention about him," she answered.

Rika noticed that the demon might be a summoning animal and realized that Yoji might summoned it to save her and Pana while being trapped in the whirlwind.

"You're right. That demon is his summoning animal," replied Rika. "Maybe he used it to save us."

She decided that they will help the flame demon to find Yoji and also finding Yume as well.

"We might help that poor creature to find Yoji-san even Yume."

"All right. Let's do it." Pana agreed with Rika.

"Don't worry. We'll find him for you. I'm sure of it," Rika complied.

The flame demon growled in content mood while agreeing with Rika as well. The two Inyo kunoichi and the flame demon went to find Yoji and Yume after being separating from them by the whirlwind.

Meanwhile at the misty forest, Yori carried Yumekui once again after resting at a shelter. He walked and walked in the mist, trying to search his friends and Kazekiri, who was serparated from him and Yumekui after the battle with Yoku. As he kept walking, he stopped. He saw a tree nearby and began to put Yumekui, laying him behind the tree. He sat down on the ground to rest after searching for them.

However, he still became confused about saving his twin sister by interfering the _"game"_ that Unmei warned him. He can't stop thinking about the warning he received. He began to recall the words that Unmei warned him after being defeated during the battle.

"I won't let you... interfere the **game** by saving Yume."

He tried to assume about interfereing the game he was unaware while trying to her. He tried to puzzle and think what is the meaning.

_"Interfering the game... What was that mean? What is the game?"_ he puzzled. _"Damn it! I don't get it! Unmei didn't tell me about it and disappeared!"_

He became frustrated while puzzling Unmei's warning and hits his fist on the ground. His confusing rage caused him to have difficult questions after defeated by Unmei, who had the same techniques as him.

"If I could ask him, I would know about this game."

He became difficult about the warning he was having trouble with. He began to realize about his relationship with someone Unmei mentioned. He remembered those words that Unmei told him.

"You also... have the same relationship with _her_."

After realizing that he was somehow related to Unmei because the same relationship with a girl he doesn't know, he tried to remember about her.

"That's right... The relationship. I was related to Unmei because of my techniques. Who is she?" he wondered. "I need to know why."

Suddenly, a voice appeared while Yori was trying to remember about the mysterious relationship with someone.

"It's been awhile, Yori-kun."

He shockly heard someone talking to him somewhere in the misty forest.

_"That voice!"_ surprised Yori. He looked around, trying to find where was the voice came from. "Who's there?"

A voice laughed and the wind blew the mist away, disappearing. Yori became surprised that the mist faded away completely because of the wind. After the disappearance of the mist, he saw a girl with a white-cloak. A white cloak concealed her body even her face. After she appeared before Yori and the unconscious Yumekui, she smiled.

"I'm been waiting for you."

"What?" he suddenly shocked.

With Yori confronted a mysterious girl, could this be a relationship that Yori had?

Meanwhile at the Shinto shrine with lost souls, Unmei encountered Kabuto Yakushi after Yume entered the door to the fifth stage of the nightmare game.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Well, it's not important to you, Unmei." Kabuto answered.

"Tell me." he demanded.

"All right. Although you really want to know why I'm here in this land, you know Megami's younger ototo-chan, do you? Yumekui came here to warn him." the medical-nin explained.

"Warn him? You mean..." Unmei noticed.

"Yes. Ryoji."

Unmei became confused. "Why would the dream eater do that?" he inquired.

"To tell him about my plans." stated Kabuto.

"Your plans?" said Unmei.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. Consider this as a secret."

"I see." the boy replied.

Just then, Unmei became uneased from something particular back then before he encountered Kabuto. The medical-nin noticed something bother Unmei.

"I believe it's about her, am I right?" he asked.

Unmei knew that he already told Yume about the former challengers' souls and the reason why did Kabuto entice her feelings into emotionless. He knew that he had a connection with her.

"It's because... she knew someone, who looked like me," he answered.

"Really?"

"When I tried to kill her, I saw memories. That girl have a relationship with him, her own twin brother."

Kabuto began to realize that Unmei was talking about. He grinned deviously when hearing about the person he knew.

"Yori Yukisaki, right?" he asked.

Unmei became suprised when Kabuto mentioned Yori. He never knew that Kabuto somehow knew the person who was similar to himself. However, the reason is why.

"How do you know him?"

"Well, I met him before I kidnapped my dearest Yume. Of course, your techniques are the same as his," stated Kabuto. "Tell me, why didn't you show your face to anyone such as Megami's nightmares."

Unmei knew that he had a reason for wearing his black dragon mask. He only showed his face to someone he always obey back then.

"I have no interest to show my own face to nobody, except for Megami-sama," he stated.

"And why's that?"

The masked shinobi began to touch his mask with a mark of the black dragon and explained to Kabuto, "This mask... is very important to me. When I was created, Megami-sama gave it to me and I vowed myself that I will never show my face to anyone. She's the only one I can show my face to."

Kabuto realized that Megami was the only person to see Unmei's face. He also knew about his creation three years ago. When Megami left Inyogakure and joined Orochimaru in Otogakure, she created a nightmare land and monsters called the Akuma Akumu. Megami chose six nightmares and the puppet leader of the eighth nightmare.

_"To think that he was the first created human to become an Akuma Akumu and known as the Fate of Eternal Nightmares, it's no mistaken that Yori-kun is the same as him,"_ he thought. He also noticed that Unmei came to the Akumu no Kuni for a reason. He began to ask, "Unmei, is there a reason for coming this land?"

Unmei knew that he must kill Yori while waiting for him to be stronger after he spared him.

"To kill Yori Yukisaki under the Goddess's orders. I must stop him from saving his twin sister." he answered.

Kabuto became surprised when Unmei answered that Megami told him to kill Yori. He never knew that Unmei came her to kill someone who was similiar to him.

"Megami told you to kill him who was exactly like you, that's very unusual," he exclaimed as he grinned.

"You do know that outsiders are not allowed in this game. If he saves Yume, something would happen to him and the others," Unmei explained.

"Well, this is the first time that they came here. Orochimaru-sama told me that if outsiders enter during the game, their lives will be vast."

Unmei knew that Yori and his comrades didn't notice about saving Yume will be a dangerous choice because of this land. He began to summon his dark flames once again as he was about to leave. Before leaving, he began to ask.

"Do you think that Yume will complete the game?"

Kabuto knew that completing the game will set Yume free from becoming his prisoner and puppet. After all, he was the one who told her before the beginning of the game.

"I'm positive. I wanted her to be the first challenger for completing game," he answered. "I've seen Orochimaru-sama's test subject ended up dead for not completing his game. After all, using the Hyuga's ally is the perfect choice."

Unmei knew that Yume will complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares at some point. He wondered about trying to find Yumekui somehow.

"So where are you going to find the dream eater?"

"I'll find Yumekui later. After all, this land is different to the reality, so I'm going to follow Yume just in case," Kabuto answered, adjusting his glasses. "Something isn't right at all when she got separated from Ryoji."

Unmei noticed that the whirlwind was Megami's shadow red-eyed bird-like Akuma Akuma's doing and didn't say anything. He entered the dark flames and began to disappear. Disappeared within the dark flames, he said to Kabuto one last thing.

"Don't let her notice that you're following her."

Kabuto understood that following Yume will cause her to notice him and accepted Unmei's warning after he disappeared. He summoned the door before him and entered as it opened and then closed itself after he entered to the another dimension of the Akumu no Kuni.

Later, Yume came to the fifth stage when found herself standing on the water. She looked around and then saw two giant statues were built on opposite sides of the waterfall. She noticed, knowing the two statues.

"This is... the Valley of the End," Yume realized. "And these two statues... the First Hokage, the founder of Konohagakure, and Madara Uchiha."

Yume confused about why did she came to this valley for a reason. She knew this valley isn't real unlike the reality and noticed that it's still the Akumu no Kuni.

_"It's still the same. There's no way this valley can be real,"_ thought Yume. She knew something strange about this land even travelling to different places such as the misty forest._"This land... Something's strange going around here. I have to find out."_

All the sudden, she saw someone on the top of Madara Uchiha statue and began to activate her Byakugan. Using her eyes, she watched closely to see who's up on the top of the statue.

Up there, there was a boy with a black chin-length hair, wearing a white long-sleeved kimono with a smaller version of the crest of a red and white uchiwa, dark blue pants with a blue cloth, a purple rope belt around his waist, and black arm-guards.

Realizing this person she encountered, she became shocked, noticing the uchiwa crest on the back.

_"It can't be!"_

She went up to the top of the statue and found him. He turned around and noticed her. She became more shocked as she knew this person.

_"Sasuke Uchiha..."_

With the shocking encounter with the Uchiha, what was Sasuke doing here in the Akumu no Kuni?


	19. Chapter 18: A Mysterious Reunion

This chapter will be about the reunion of Yori and the mytersious white-cloaked girl whom he don't remember.

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: A Mysterious Reunion<strong>

Somewhere in the bamboo forest, Tsukida, Seiichi, and Kuta were trying to look for Yori, Rika, Pana, and Kazekiri after being separated from the whirlwind when they first came to the Akumu no Kuni.

"Rika! Where are you?" called Seiichi.

"Pana!" yelled Kuta.

However, there were no reply from Rika and Pana.

"Hey, Tsukida. Any sign of Yori and Kazekiri-san?" Kuta asked.

Tsukida shook his head and answered, "I don't think so... I believe they're not here in this bamboo forest."

Kuta sighed, knowing that finding the others who got separated will be difficult. "I hope they'll okay somewhwere."

"We'll find them," replied Tsukida.

Tsukida, Seiichi, and Kuta kept walking in the bamboo forest somewhere in the Akumu no Kuni.

Meanwhile, Yori encountered the girl with a white cloak after the mist somehow disappeared completely. He felt uneasily when he encountered the mysterious girl.

"Who... who are you?"

She laughed at Yori's question. "I see you don't know me somehow. Don't tell me you don't remember me," she answered.

Yori became confused when the white-cloaked girl noticed that he somehow don't _remember_ her.

"What are you talking about? Do I know you?"

"Yes. I'm sure Unmei told you about that before."

Yori became shockly surprised that she knew Unmei before.

"Wait, you know Unmei?"

She nodded. Yori can't tell it was really her that he had a relationship with. Something felt strange after meeting the mysterious girl with a white cloak.

_"Could it be... No. I'm not sure. I'm not sure it's her..."_ he thought. _"Who is she? Why I can't remember?"_

The girl smiled at Yori and began to summon her naginata. She attacks Yori, much to his shock. He dodged her naginata after realizing that she attacked him for no reason.

"It seems you still don't remember me. Then let me refresh your memory," she convinced Yori as she prepared to attack him again.

Yori became tensed as he can't fight the mysterious girl while protecting Yumekui at some point. Fighting against the girl he can't remember may be the difficult problem to handle.

_"What should I do? I can't fight her while protecting Yumekui."_

Yori knew that he have no choice, but to fight her while trying to protect Yumekui. He used his dark release ninjutsu and attacked the mysterious girl.

"Yamiton: Yami Ryu no Jutsu!"

A dark dragon appeared after performing a technique and attacked the girl. However, she slashed the dark dragon with her naginata. She began to laugh.

"Is that all you got, Yori-kun?"

"Not yet!"

He used his taijutsu on her, but she blocked his attacks with her naginata. He knew that he can't defeat her at some point and summoned his dark katana. He blocked her naginata with his dark katana and then used his yami bunshin to ambush her. However, she kicked Yori away from her and slashed his yami bunshin. Yori got hitted on the ground after being kicked. He slowly stood up.

"Damn it..."

"What's wrong? Still don't remember?" she wondered.

Yori became irritated when she was asking him that he still don't remember for no reason. He knew that something familiar with this girl. He somehow noticed her, but cannot tell the appearance because of her white cloak.

_"What's going on? I somehow know this voice... but why I can't remember?"_

Yori tried to regain his strength after he stood up from the ground. Puzzling while fighting against his opponent, he needs to find out it was really her because of the relationship he had. All the sudden, something caused him feeling pain within him. The white-cloaked girl smiled as she noticed something happened to Yori. He noticed as he felt something dark and powerful. A dark aura appeared within him. It began to give him pain and powerful. Yori began to resist the pain, but can't hold much longer at some point.

_"I'm... in pain. What's happening? Why I'm feeling pain?"_

She knew that something powerful within Yori and realized it's because of the true darkness.

_"I can feel it. Yori-kun's true darkness,"_ she stated. _"I knew it will appear within him."_

Yori can't stop the pain inside of him. He must find a way to stop the powerful pain inside of him.

_"I must... stop this painful feeling... inside of me..."_

He knew that he had no choice, but to use his own chakra in order to calm himself down from the intense pain. He focused his chakra and trying to calm himself. He remembered that his sensei Yoshiro, the Sannin of Inyogakure, taught him back then. Three years ago after Megami's defection from Inyogakure, he learned about something called true darkness from Yoshiro.

"True darkness?" he inquired.

"Yes, it only appeared from Megami..." Yoshiro answered.

Yori became confused when his sensei explained about the true darkness came from Megami.

"From Megami? Why?" he asked.

"All you knew is her true self, a kinjutsu created by her own chichiue Yokami. When you received a relationship with her, the true darkness will appear within you." explained the Inyo Sannin.

"Appear within me?"

"However, the true darkness happen either Megami is near or it possesses you by giving you pain," Yoshiro stated. "In order to suppress the true darkness within you, you must to calm yourself by using your own chakra and focusing with it. Remember Yori, the true darkness is a strong and powerful source."

Remembering Yoshiro's words, he knew that it was the true darkness. He must suppress it in by using and focusing his chakra. Just then, Yori's chakra finally suppressed the true darkness within him. Also, the pain disappeared after suppressing the powerful and dark source. Yori began to kneel down on the ground due to using all of his chakra. The white-cloaked girl noticed that Yori suppressed the true darkness by using his chakra. However, she smiled.

_"I believe this won't take long."_

All the sudden, she summoned the shadow-like red-eyed bird once and then commanded her Akuma Akumu to summon the whirlwind as well. It flapped its wings as it's summoning a whirlwind. Yori became shocked as he realized that the whirlwind was about to engulf him. He tried to escape and take Yumekui as well. However, the whirlwind already took him and it disappeared. Yori was taken by the whirlwind somewhere, leaving the unconscious Yumekui all by himself.

The white-cloaked girl smiled when Yori disappeared from the whirlwind and dismissed her shadow-like bird as it disappeared in a puff of smoke as well. She began to took her white hood off, revealing her face. It was none other than Megami herself.

"I'm sure he'll remember me when we'll meet again," stated Megami. She noticed as she saw her younger ototo-chan Yumekui, who was still unconscious. She went towards him and knew that Kabuto was looking for him. "He shouldn't go to this dangerous land all by himself."

Megami knew there's a safe place for Yumekui although this nightmare land is very dangerous for to go.

_"I'm sure there is a safe place for him."_ she smiled.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the bamboo forest, Yori appeared unconscious after got caught by the whirlwind. He began to regain his consciousness as he found himself in the forest with bamboo trees. He noticed that Yumekui was not here with him somehow.

"Yumekui!" he shocked.

Yori looked around to find Yumekui, but he wasn't here. He began to realize that the white-cloaked girl somehow kidnapped Yumekui. However, he was not sure if Yumekui was okay.

_"I hope he's okay. I'm sure.__" _thought Yori.

Just then, he began wondered about the white-cloaked girl he encountered. Did he met her before? How did she know his name and why?

_"That girl..." _He tried to remember, but he can't tell it was her he knew back then as he don't remember at some point. _"Damn it... Why I still can't remember her?"_

He knew that he find Yumekui, Kazekiri, and the others from now on. He began to searching for them after being separated from Yumekui.

"Don't worry, Yumekui. I'll find you. Even Kazekiri-san and the others." Yori promised.

He walked in the bamboo forest, looking for his friends, Kazekiri, and Yumekui. After the encounter with the mysterious white-cloaked girl, will Yori remember her when he'll meet her again because of their relationship back then?


	20. Chapter 19: The Ally and the Avenger

**Chapter 19: The Ally and the Avenger**

Somewhere in the Valley of the End, Yume encountered the boy named Sasuke Uchiha after entering the fifth stage of the nightmare game. She never knew that he would come to this nightmare land.

Sasuke is the member and survior of the Uchiha clan. His clan is almost extinct because of the massacre. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's onii-san, killed the whole clan except for Sasuke himself. Three years ago, he was a member of Team 7 and left Konohagakure for power from Orochimaru.

The Uchiha noticed that Yume came on the top of the Madara Uchiha statue. He began to realize that it was her.

"Are you Yume Yukisaki, the Ally of Byakugan?" he asked.

Yume surprised when Sasuke was looking for her. However, she became confused. What's an Uchiha's reason? Why is he looking for her?

Questioning why Sasuke came to look for her, she began to ask, "What if I am? And why did you look for me?"

Sasuke remembered that Orochimaru ordered him to come to the Akumu no Kuni to kill the challenger Kabuto had chosen during the Seven Stages of Nightmares, which was Yume Yukisaki. Before Sasuke came to find her, he was summoned by Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin sat on the throne-like chair, waiting for Sasuke to come after he summoned him. Sasuke came to Orochimaru.

"You finally came, Sasuke-kun." said Orochimaru.

"What is it, Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked.

"I have a special training for you."

"A special training?"

"Follow me if you want to know," stated the Snake Sannin as he stood up from his throne-like chair.

Sasuke followed the Snake Sannin and they went to the former hideout where Kabuto took Yume. As they came to Orochimaru's former hideout, they went towards the nightmare door that was leads to the Akumu no Kuni.

"A door?"

"This door contains with nightmares. Also it leads to the Akumu no Kuni," Orochimaru answered.

"Akumu no Kuni?" he asked.

"It's a land with many dimensions. It also makes nightmares become reality."

"Nightmares?"

"Yes. There are also monsters called Akuma Akumu. They only appear in the Akumu no Kuni," answered Orochimaru. "I'm sure you know Megami, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke remembered that he first met Megami while he was training. He encountered a shadow as it transformed into someone he knew, Itachi Uchiha. He defeated an Akuma Akumu and once again encountered Megami and fought her. However, Orochimaru intervened the battle and introduced Sasuke to Megami.

"You mean..."

"Yes, Yokami's created daughter."

"Are you saying she's the creator of the Akumu no Kuni and those monsters?" the Uchiha implied.

"That's correct. After her defection from her village, she made her own creations and chose six nightmares," Orochimaru explained. "She's the leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"I want you to be the challenger's opponent." Orochimaru requested.

Sasuke became confused when Orochimaru told him to be the challenger's opponent.

"The challenger?"

"Three years ago before I chose you, I created a game called the Seven Stages of Nightmares. I was the host of that game, however I gave it up because my test subjects failed to complete it. They were killed by Megami and her six nightmares or her pets," explained the Snake Sannin. "Right now, Kabuto became the host after he chose the challenger."

"So who's the challenger?" Sasuke inquired.

Orochimaru knew that Sasuke wondered that who's the current challenger of the nightmare game. "Yume Yukisaki," he answered.

"Yume Yukisaki?"

"She's a Konoha kunoichi and is known as the Ally of the Byakugan." explained Orochimaru. "She obtains that title because she has a Byakugan."

After Orochimaru gave Sasuke information about Yume, he knew that he have to find her.

"So I have to find her, right?"

"Yes. You'll find her once you'll enter this door."

Sasuke knew that he have to find Yume by entering the mysterious door that leads to the Akumu no Kuni. Before he was about the enter the door, Orochimaru began to mention something to him.

"By the way, she's the same as you; hatred and revenge," he stated.

Sasuke noticed that Yume had hatred and revenge and was the same as him. However, he became confused.

"Same as me," thought Sasuke. "What do you mean, Orochimaru?"

Orochimaru chuckled at Sasuke's question. "That girl, however, doesn't have hatred within her anymore. She received that hatred because of Kabuto."

The Uchiha didn't knew that Yume received that hatred because of Kabuto Yakushi and gave up hatred and revenge. However, he knew that Yume is different to him.

"If she received that hatred, she knows him?"

"Yes. After all, Kabuto has a very special interest in her," Orochimaru stated.

Sasuke noticed that Kabuto had an interest in Yume. After the talk with the Snake Sannin, Sasuke began to open and enter the door to the Akumu no Kuni. As he entered, the door closed itself.

After he found Yume in the Valley of the End, he knew that he have to be her opponent under Orochimaru's orders. He went towards Yume in a quick speed, much to her shock. He drew his katana from his waist as he prepared himself to fight her. He began to answer Yume's question after he found her in the valley.

"The reason I looked for you..." he explained to the Hyuga's ally. "...is because I'm your opponent.

Yume became shocked as she realized that Sasuke is her opponent for the fifth stage of the game. As he was in front of her, he began to perform his technique. She noticed that she have to get away before it happens. However when she tried to escape, a lightning appeared from Sasuke's katana. She jumped from the lightning and got off from the statue of Madara Uchiha. Dodging from the lightning, she landed on the water. Sasuke noticed that Yume dodged the lightning and went after her. After jumping from the Madara statue, he landed on the water as well.

Yume knew that fighting Sasuke is a difficult and tense battle. Even she doesn't have a choice, but to fight him. She drew her katana and activated her Byakugan.

"I won't lose to an Uchiha like you," she complied.

"Hmph. Go ahead and try." he replied.

The two began to fight as they were about to clash each other with their katana.

Meanwhile, a door appeared out of nowhere and opened itself all the sudden. A figure came out from the door and it disappeared itself. The figure, who came out, was none other than Kabuto Yakushi. He knew that he have to find and follow Yume without letting her notice him.

"Now then, where could she be?" he asked.

As the medical-nin began to search for the Hyuga's ally, he heard something somewhere from the valley. He saw a lightning from the Valley of the End and began to find out what's over there. When he came, he noticed that Yume was fighting someone. He became surprised that the person she was fighting was Sasuke.

_"What's Sasuke-kun doing here?"_ Kabuto thought. _"Could it be that he's her opponent?"_

Curious about Sasuke as Yume's opponent, he began to watch the battle while standing on the cliffs of the valley.

On the water, Yume clashed with Sasuke as she blocked and dodged his attacks. Knowing that Sasuke is a talent and strong shinobi, she knew that she must defeat him somehow.

_"I can't give up! I have to defeat him!"_

She used her Kazekiri as she swung her katana. A wind slash appeared and began to attack Sasuke. However, Sasuke dodged the slash. He went towards her and attacked her with his katana. She quickly blocked his katana with hers. Blocking his blade, she began to use her chakura no mesu with her right hand. She tried to immobile him, but Sasuke grabbed her hand with his left hand, much to her shock. Grabbing her hand, he began to kick her away from him. Yume landed on the water after got kicked. She rebounded herself on the water, balancing herself not to fall.

All the sudden, Sasuke went towards her in a quick speed and grabbed her neck. Yume shocked as he grabbed her neck forcefully and painfully. He picked her up, raising in the air. She hardly cannot breathe while Sasuke was grabbing her neck.

"To think that you had a hatred, you're the same as me? How pathetic," he commented.

Yume began to notice and became confused when Sasuke commented about her former hatred. Stuggling to escape his grasp, she was still in pain.

"What... are you... talking about?" she asked, confusingly. "I'm... the same as you...?"

"Right now, you're different to me. You just gave up your hatred back then," Sasuke explained. "Especially you're somehow special."

She realized when the Uchiha explained that she's different to him.

"Special? What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know why Kabuto have interest in you. But I believe that your life will end here."

He began to use his left hand, using his signature technique: Chidori. When he was about to finish her off, he noticed something amiss. Autumn leaves appeared surrounding her as she suddenly disappeared. A wind slash appeared behind Sasuke out of nowhere and he began to dodge it. After Sasuke dodged the wind slash, the Hyuga's ally appeared within the autumn leaves.

"So you rather keep fighting endlessly?" he inquired.

"I won't stop and end up kill by your hands," she stated. "No matter how I try, I will complete this game."

She began to activate her Byakugan as she prepared to fight Sasuke once again. With the extreme battle with Sasuke, will Yume defeat the Uchiha and complete the fifth stage?


	21. Chapter 20: Connections

This chapter will be about Rika and Pana's connection with Yoji after they found him while helping his chakrams in a flame demon form. I named Yoji's demon weapon partner Ifrit, the name used from Final Fantasy series.

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: Connections<strong>

Somewhere in the bamboo forest, Yoji was laying on the ground unconscious. He began to open his eyes as he regained his strength. He stood up, noticing that he was in a different place.

"A bamboo forest?"

After he woke up, he noticed that Yume, Rika, and Pana disappeared and knew that the whirlwind separated him from the girls. He looked around the forest with bamboo trees and began to call for them.

"Yume! Rika! Pana! Where are you?"

But there was reply from either of them. He suddenly knew that he can't protect Yume when he got separated from her. He gripped his hand, knowing that he failed to save her back then.

Before he found himself in the bamboo forest, he got caught by the whirlwind along with the girls. Somehow, he got separated from Rika and Pana. He knew that he and the others can't escape from the whirlwind. He saw Yume unconscious on the other side of the whirlwind. He went towards her as he tries to save her. He reached his hand to hers. However, the wind force was too strong and pushed Yoji away from her. After he can't save Yume, he got unconscious and was sent to the bamboo forest of the Akumu no Kuni.

Remembering what happened, Yoji knew that he have to find Yume and her friends although he can't protect her right now due to the separation from them.

All the sudden, he noticed that his chakrams were somehow missing as he checked something from his waist.

"My chakrams, they're gone." Yoji noticed.

He knew that his chakrams got lost from the whirlwind for some reasons. However, despite losing his chakrams, he knew that his chakrams will find him for sure. He began to search for his chakrams and the girls.

Three years ago before his defection from Inyogakure, Yoji became surprised when he first met the flame demon after his chakrams transformed itself. His two masters never knew that he can summon his demon.

"I never knew you can summon a demon," said Seirin.

"Well, I didn't summon a demon with a Kuchiyose no Jutsu. My chakrams transformed all by itself," Yoji explained.

"Yes, it's true. The Kuchiyose no Jutsu is only used with blood and a contract from any summoning animal." Shaolin mentioned.

The chakrams in a form of the flame demon licked Yoji's face, much to his suprise. Seirin laughed after seeing his apprentice got licked.

"It looks like that it likes you."

Shaolin realized that this demon needs a name.

"Yoji, although this demon has a good relationship with you, how about a name?" she convinced Yoji.

Yoji never knew that the demon needs a name for the first place after the transformation from his red and silver chakrams. He tried to think of a name.

"A name? Hm?"

Thinking a name for the flame demon, he realized that he have a name for the demon.

"How about Ifrit?"

"Ifrit?" Seirin replied.

All the sudden, the flame demon heard the name Ifrit and growled in content.

"I think it likes that name you came up with," Shaolin complied.

"So you like that name?" he asked the demon.

It nodded.

"Hope you like it, Ifrit." he smiled.

After reminiscing his first time with his chakrams in a form of the flame demon, he knew that Ifrit will find him.

_"Ifrit. You better find me no what happens to me," _he hoped as he told his chakrams with a form of the demon to find him.

He kept searching until he finds Ifrit and Yume with Rika and Pana in the bamboo forest.

Meanwhile, Rika and Pan kept searching for Yoji and Yume while helping Ifrit to find his master.

"Hm... They're not here somehow." said Rika.

"We'll find them. Don't worry," Pana cheered Ifrit up by patting its head.

It nodded in agreement.

All the sudden, two shadows ambushed them, much to Rika and Pana's shock.

"What?" shocked Rika. "Shadows?"

As they encountered the shadows, two of them transformed into two figures, Seiichi and Kuta. Rika and Pana shocked as they knew the appearances.

"Seiichi?"

"Kuta?"

Ifrit growled in a reject, telling the two girls that they are not Seiichi and Kuta, but an imitations of them.

"You mean those are not Seiichi and Kuta?" Rika replied.

"That means these shadow-like monsters are the Akuma Akumu Ayumu-san mentioned," Pana stated.

"I guess we have no choice, but to fight them!"

Rika began to fight Seiichi with her ninja tools while Pana started fighting Kuta with her taijutsu. While they fought the two Akuma Akumu, Ifrit noticed more of them appeared.

"More of them?"

As the Akuma Akumu came to attack Rika and Pana, Ifrit summoned a fireball at them. Knowing the Akuma Akumu kept appearing, the flame demon attacked them from coming towards Rika and Pana.

"Thanks," thanked Rika as Ifrit stopped the Akuma Akumu from coming close to her and Pana.

Ifrit kept attacking the Akuma Akumu as more shadows kept appearing. Rika defeated the imitation of Seiichi with her ninja tools and Pana defeated the imitation of Kuta with her signature technique, Mekuraken no Kuro Ryu. The two Inyo kunoichi began to help Ifrit to defeat the Akuma Akumu. However, as they defeated the Akuma Akumu, the shadows kept appearing.

"There's no end to this!" exclaimed Pana.

"What should we do then?" Rika asked.

All the sudden, flames from out of nowhere appeared and attacked the Akuma Akumu. Burned with flames, the shadows faded away as they disappeared. Rika and Pana noticed that the shadows are suddenly burned in flames and disappeared. After noticing there are no more of the Akuma Akumu appear, someone came before the two Inyo kunoichi and the flame demon.

"Ifrit!"

Ifrit heard the familiar voice and turned around as he saw Yoji. He went towards him and realized that his master was okay. He licked Yoji in a happy mood after finding him with the help of Rika and Pana.

"Good thing I came just in time. If I didn't save you, I don't know what will happen to you," said Yoji, patting Ifrit.

"I'm glad you're happy now." Rika complied.

"Come to think of it. Ifrit, right? That's your name?" Pana wondered, asking Ifrit about the name.

The flame demon nodded.

"Well, at least you found your summoning partner, Yoji-san." Rika stated.

Yoji realized that Rika and Pana thought that Ifrit was his summoning animal. He knew that Ifrit was his chakrams in the form of the demon with flames of fire.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Ifrit isn't a summoning animal," he explained.

Rika noticed that Ifrit wasn't a summon after all as she became confused about the flamed demon.

"What do you mean? This fella isn't a summon?" she asked.

"I'll show you," Yoji replied. "Ifrit."

Ifrit nodded as it began to tranform back into his origanl form, Yoji's red and silver chakrams. Yoji caught the chakrams and surprised Rika and Pana.

"I summon him by using my chakrams. Whenever I'm in trouble and even losing these weapons, Ifrit transforms all by itself and finds me no matter what."

Yoji commanded Ifrit to transform into a flame demon once again.

"So he's not the summon all the time." asked Rika

"Of course not. If Ifrit's a summoning animal, I'd perform the Kuchiyose no Jutsu," explained Yoji.

"I guess Ifrit is kinda special." Pana stated.

"Yeah, you're right. He's special."

Yoji wondered why Ifrit was with Rika and Pana all the time while he was trying for them even Yume.

"Hey, was Ifrit with you two all the time?" he asked.

Rika and Pana noticed about Ifrit who saved them from the whirlwind after got serparated from Yoji and Yume.

"Yeah. He saved us from the whirlwind back then and we thought that you summoned it to rescue us." Pana answered.

Confused, Yoji didn't remember that Pana mentioned that he summoned Ifrit to save her and Rika from the whirlwind. He knew that he lost his chakrams after he regained his consciousness and got separated from Yume and her two teammates.

"Huh? I didn't summon Ifrit to save you two. I don't remember that."

"Wait, you mean you didn't summon him?" implied Rika.

"Not before my chakrams wasn't around my waist back then."

"But how did that happened?"

Ifrit tried to explain Yoji about why he saved Rika and Pana from the whirlwind. The older red-haired boy listened to his flame demon and began to understand why.

Rika began to wonder what was Ifrit explaining to Yoji and asked him, "What did Ifrit told you?"

"He told that he transformed by itself to save you two after he got separated from me as well while he was in the orignal form of my chakrams," he explained.

"What? It got separated from you?"

"When I found myself in this place, I realized that my chakrams wasn't with me just now. So I have to find Ifrit and you two."

Rika noticed that Yume is somewhere in the Akumu no Kuni and wasn't with Yoji after the separation.

"If you found us, then what about Yume?" she asked, worried about her. "Is she with you?"

Yoji knew that Yume wasn't with him all along while finding Rika and Pana, who were with Ifrit, the chakrams in the demon form.

"Sorry, I didn't think she's with me now," he answered. "I tried to save Yume, but I failed."

"I guess it's up to us to find Yume right now." Pana suggested.

"Yeah! We need to find her before anything happens to her!" agreed Rika.

Yoji commanded Ifrit to turned back to the orignal form and it transformed again into the chakrams once more. After Ifrit returned back to the orignal form, he caught the chakrams and put back around his waist. Before they were about to find Yume, he began to wonder what Ifrit told about Rika and Pana.

Thinking about the two kunoichi, he began to ask them, "Hey, before we start looking for Yume, Ifrit told me about you two. Are you two related to Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho?"

The two kunoichi surprised when Yoji asked them that they were related to Seirin and Shaolin.

"Huh! You know tou-chan and Shaolin-san?" surprised Rika.

Yoji nodded. "My chakrams saved you two because of the relationship with them."

"If you know Rika's tou-san and Shaolin, that means you're an Inyo shinobi." Pana stated.

"I was... after they disappeared from their long-term missions."

"You were? Why?" asked Rika.

"Three years ago, I learned that my two shishos disappeared when the Inyokage-sama told me. I wanted to find them, but he won't let me. So I left Inyogakure. After I heard that they returned from Yume, I don't know what to do."

Rika didn't realize that Yoji left Inyo because of her chichiue and Pana's guardian's disappearance. She began to realize that he might come back to Inyo with them once they reunited with the others and Yume.

"Hey, how about you could come with us once we find Yume and the others? When we'll return to Inyo, you'll see them again," she explained to him.

Yoji never realized that he might come with Yume and her friends to return to Inyo even to see his two masters. However, he became unsure.

"Are you really sure? That I might see Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho again?"

"Of course, you're the Inyo shinobi after all." Rika answered.

"I guess you're right." Yoji smiled.

"But first, we need to find Yume and the others who got separated before we met you," Pana explained.

"That's right! Let's go!" Rika agreed.

They began to search for Yume in the bamboo forest after Yoji reunited with his chakrams. While searching for Yume, he still became unsure about going back to Inyo although he was still the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

_"If I go with them, everything will change, right?"_ he wondered.

Despite worrying about being the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare, he became positive that he will see his two masters again after he left Inyo three years ago.


	22. Chapter 21: The Ally's True Power

**Chapter 21: The Ally's True Power**

At the Valley of the End, Yume fought Sasuke Uchiha, but she can't defeat him. The Hyuga's ally panted, trying to find a way to defeat him.

_"He's too_ _strong." _she thought.

Suddenly, Sasuke began to use his seal on the left side of the back of his neck. The seal was activated and spread the flame-like markings around his body. Yume became shocked as she noticed the markings. Remembering them, she fought Asaki, a former test subject of Orochimaru and a missing-nin from Inyogakure. However, her cursed seal on her right hand disappeared when Kohake saved Asaki by using his fuinjutsu.

She knew that she was fighting a opponent who's a Uchiha and user of the cursed seal. Yume even noticed Sasuke's chakra were increased as well. Sasuke attacked Yume in a quick speed and she blocked his attacks. Not just his chakra were enhanced, but his attacks as well. The Hyuga's ally never knew Sasuke's taijutsu were stronger because of the mysterious cursed seal.

Somewhere, Kabuto watched the battle as he stood on the cliffs. He wondered about Sasuke being her opponent for some reasons just now. Of course, he's a talented boy and a current vessel for Orochimaru because of the kekkei genkai, the Sharingan.

_"To think Sasuke-kun is my dearest's opponent in the fifth stage, he might be too strong enough for her,"_ stated Kabuto, adjusting his glasses while analyzing the battle.

He kept watching Yume dodging Sasuke's attacks. She can't keep up dodging as Sasuke was about to kick her away. Yume got attacked and landed on the water. While on the water, she slowly stood up, only she was kneeling.

_"With him as her opponent, I'm afraid I can't interfere the battle. Of course, she might notice that I'm following her."_

Kabuto knew that he had to keep watching her battle with Sasuke with exception of interfering.

Yume was now knelt on the water, unable to get up. She began to put her katana around her waist while trying to stand up.

_"I have to... move..."_

Before she tries to get up, Sasuke walked towards her and stood before her. He knelt down before her and touched her chin. Confused what was he doing to her, her body was paralyzed. She tried to make her body to stand up, but it didn't move.

_"I can't move."_

With her body unable to move or stand up, Yume began to notice his eyes and realized why she can't move by looking at them. His eyes were red with three tomoes.

"You used your Sharingan. You paralyzed me," she exclaimed.

"So you noticed?"

"Why...?"

"I won't let you make the next step." he answered.

After Sasuke answered to Yume, she knew that there's no escape from the Sharingan. Kabuto surprised that Yume was now immoblized in Sasuke's genjutsu.

"Well, he used his Sharingan to paralyze her in a genjutsu." the Oto medical-nin complied.

Yume struggled her body to move, but it won't respond.

"It's useless. No matter what you do, you can't escape from my genjutsu." the Uchiha explained to her.

She've to find a way to escape from the Uchiha's genjutsu, but how? How can she escape from the Sharingan's genjutsu? The Uchiha stood up and began to use his katana with his right hand. His katana was covered with lightning as he raised it in the air. Yume became shocked as Sasuke was about to kill her right now.

"You're finished."

He swung his katana towards her, ending the battle.

_"I can't lose! Not yet!"_

All the sudden, her hands were coated with two different colors of chakra: black and white. The two chakra covered her body completely and Sasuke moved away from her, noticing. Yume stood up after being trapped in Sasuke's Sharingan genjutsu.

He never seen two colors of chakra before. He activated his Sharingan to examine Yume's chakra. Noticing them, he noticed she had the light and darkness chakra other than her initial chakra of wind element.

_"What is she? This girl..._" Sasuke wondered with bewildered. "Those two chakra you have. They're different."

"Those chakra have two elements: light and darkness. This technique I used to break your genjutsu is the Ju Inyoken," she explained. "Ju Inyoken is a special technique, different to the Hyuga's clan signature technique: the Juken. In order to use it, it requires two chakra of each chakra on both hands. The light chakra on my left hand and the dark chakra on my right hand."

"Ju Inyoken, huh?" he replied. He took his katana once again and pointed at her. "Then let me test you."

Kabuto surprised that Sasuke was going to test Yume's strength while fighting her. He grinned slyly.

_"Well, this is getting_ _interesting."_

Yume began to fight Sasuke again, but suddenly she sensed something powerful and assumably familiar.

_"This chakra..."_

She activated her Byakugan to find somewhere from the sky. She became shocked as she knew the silhouette, flying in the sky. It came out from the sky. Sasuke noticed as well, as he saw the sihouette. The creature appeared and it was a shadow bird with red-eyes once again, who separated Yume from Yoji and her two friends Rika and Pana from Inyogakure. It began to attack Yume and Sasuke as the two dodged away.

Kabuto suddenly confused after the shadow appeared out of nowhere.

"How did that Akuma Akumu came here?" he confused.

While analyzing of what happened, he noticed as he saw a girl standing on the statue of Madara Uchiha. Watching carefully, it was Megami, who summoned the shadow bird. This time, she didn't wore a white cloak around her body.

_"Megami? What's she doing here?"_

On the top of the Madara Uchiha statue, Megami smiled joyfully. She giggled and chuckled, watching Yume dodging the Akuma Akumu's attacks.

"Yume, you shouldn't hold back while dodging the attacks."

The shadow birds summoned feathers from its wings, attacking Yume and Sasuke. Sasuke threw sendon, made with his Chidori, at the feathers destroying them completely. Yume also blocked the feathers with her Ju Inyoken.

"This is annoying," Sasuke commented.

While the two blocked the shadow bird's feathers, Megami noticed that Sasuke was here.

"Well, Sasuke-kun. I didn't expect you're here as well."

Yume knew there is a way to defeat the shadow bird somehow. Of course, it might summon a whirlwind again although it caused separation.

_"I have to find a way to defeat this Akuma Akumu. But..." _She also knew that defeating this Akuma Akumu won't be the easy way. This Akuma Akumu can regenerate with its remaining shadows after being defeated. _"I need to find a way to defeat it before it happens again!"_

All the sudden, the shadow bird went towards Yume, much to her shock. She dodged from the bird as it flew very quickly. After the bird missed, it flapped its wings, blowing the Hyuga's ally as an attack. Yume got hit by strong winds and almost stood up from kneeling down. After injuring Yume, the bird threw its feathers the second time, aiming at her. She became shocked, noticing the feathers went towards her.

However, Sasuke came in front of Yume and used his Chidori senbon at the feathers, destroying them. She became confusingly shocked when Sasuke saved her life.

"Why did you save me?" she asked.

"Didn't you said that you want to complete this game, right?" he implied.

Yume noticed that she had to complete the nightmare game. She knew that she have to complete the fifth stage in order to proceed the next stage, but there was a problem. How will she defeat the shadow bird, who separated her friends and Yoji from her?

_"He's right, I need to complete this stage. Destroying this Akuma Akumu is the only choice I got_,_"_ she thought.

Sasuke began to use his Chidori once again with his left hand. This time, he created it into a sharp lightning spear with his own thrust. Piercing the shadow bird, mulitple additional blades were shown. It was destroyed once again. However, the remains of the shadow birds began to regenerate again just like the last time. Sasuke noticed that the shadow bird revived itself.

"Why did that monster reviving itself?" he asked.

"That Akuma Akumu can revive itself by using the remains of its shadows after destroying. It's impossible to defeat it," Yume explained.

"Using its shadows to be brought back to life? Then how to kill it?" he asked.

"I was thinking the same thing as well."

Later, at the top of the Madara statue, Megami surprised, noticing that Sasuke saved Yume's life.

"Well, that was divergent," she commented. "The avenger of the Uchiha clan saves the ally from the Hyuga clan."

The shadow bird screeched in rage, noticing that Sasuke was in the way. Enraged, it began to flap its wings once again, summoning strong wings as it's blowing Yume and Sasuke away. However, the two shinobi stood still on the water from being blown away.

_"This bird's_ _persistant."_ thought Sasuke.

Yume began to activated her Byakugan again, trying to find a way to defeat the Akuma Akumu in a form of the shadow bird. Using her white dojutsu, she noticed something on its back; a black and white futatsu tomoe seal.

_"There's a seal," _Yume stated. She realized that white futatsu tomoe might be the source of its regeneration._ "If this is the source for reviving itself, then I have to destroy it. But how to get up there?"_

She knew that she have to get on the top of the shadow bird in order to destroy the source of regeneration. She ran towards the shadow bird, much to Sasuke's confusing shock. The Uchiha noticed that Yume was somehow trying to get killed.

_"Damn it! What is she doing?"_

"You want me?" she infuriated the bird. "Then come and get me!"

On the cliffs, Kabuto shocked, realizing Yume using herself as bait.

_"She's using herself as the Akuma Akumu's bait, but that can't be possible. Then, what's her_ _intentions?"_

The shadow bird noticed and began to went towards her after provoking it. Noticing the Akuma Akumu went towards Yume, Sasuke began to use his Chidori one last time, stopping the Akuma Akumu from killing her. Yume stood still, waiting for the red-eyed shadow to come towards her.

_"Wait for it..." _thought Yume as she's looking for the opening for her to jump on its back. Waiting for the opening, she began to jump. _"Now!"_

She jumped from the water and made a flip, preparing to land on the Akuma Akumu. Yume grabbed on as Sasuke, Kabuto, and Megami surprised shockly. After seeing Yume jumped on the shadw bird, Sasuke didn't use his Chidori just now after noticing that it was her plan for some reasons. He scoffed, after thinking Yume provoked the Akuma Akumu on purpose.

Kabuto, on the cliffs, never knew that infuriating the Akuma Akumu was a part of Yume's plan. What's her plan? Did she provoked it on purpose? Questions kept him thinking about what Yume's stragedy was. What's her reason to jump on the shadow bird?

"So provoking it was your part of the plan, my dearest Yume. Then what's your next plan?" he asked.

Megami never knew that Yume tried to provoke it and then jumped on its back. She began to noticed that Yume was trying to destroy the black and white futatsu tomoe seal. However depsite that, she smiled and laughed.

"Well, I shouldn't be worried about that," said Megami. "although I don't mind that my Akuma Akumu will die by her hands."

While holding the shadow bird, it became bewildered and flew around in a big circle. Yume grabbed on from falling, while it flew around a couple of times.

"I need to get to the futatsu tomoe seal," she stated.

She stood up slowly and went towards the seal. Noticing the two colors, she realized that it requires two chakras. She used her Ju Inyoken in both hands.

_"If I use my Ju Inyoken, then I could destroy the source of its regeneration," _she complied. _"Here goes."_

She used her both hands with black and white chakras. Placing them on the futatsu tomoe, she began to perform her technique with her Ju Inyoken.

_"Ju Inyoken: Hissatsu!"_

A strong chakra with the color of gray, combining with black and white chakras. With a combined chakra, Yume destroyed the futatsu tomoe seal of the regeneration source. On the water, Sasuke surprised shockly as he looked at Yume, killing the Akuma Akumu completely. Kabuto became surprised as well after noticing that she found its source.

With the source of the shadow bird with red eyes became destroyed, it screeched in pain and agony while flapping its wings. Yume stood up as she began to pant after destroying the seal on its back. However, she began to fall from the agonized bird although she used all her chakra with her Ju Inyoken. After she fell, the shadow became exhausted from flapping and covered itself with its weakened wings. After being covered, it began to fade into mereless shadows and then into nothingless.

Yume, falling, watched the Akuma Akumu disappeared. She knew that she finally defeated it from using the whirlwind that caused her become separated from her friends and Yoji. She became relieving with a sigh after the intense battle she had even with Sasuke,

"I did it... I finally..." she talked very slowly due to being exhausted from using her chakra because of the Ju Inyoken.

Now, the important thing after defeating the shadow bird was to find Rika, Pana, and Yoji after being separated from them. She began to think of Rika, Pana, Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, and Yoji waiting for her to reunite with them.

_"Rika... Pana... Tsukida-kun... Seiichi-kun... Kuta-kun... Yoji-san..." _Thinking of them, she also knew that someone came to the Akumu no Kuni to rescue her. Of course, her protective twin brother Yori. _"Yori..."_

After calling everyone in her mind, she felt a mysterious and strange feeling around her. Slowly turned her head, she saw someone standing on the Madara Uchiha statue, a girl with long white hair in a hime-cut style in a white medium kimino with her kimono-like sleeves in the same color. The girl Yume encountered smiled at her with delight while closing her eyes, much to the ally's bewilderment.

_"There's someone... Who..."_ she noticed.

But after she saw Megami with a quick glimpse, her eyes felt exhausted already and began to close itself. Her eyes finally closed. With Yume unconscious, she's still falling in the sky and was about to land into the infinite water.

Kabuto became shocked that Yume was about to crash into the water of the valley.

_"This isn't good!"_ he stated.

He began to come to catch Yume, however, he noticed Sasuke, in his cursed seal level two, flew to her and caught her in his hands. He took Yume to the forest where he left after his battle with Naruto three years ago. Kabuto wondered where is he going while taking Yume to the forest. He went after them after the intense battle with Megami's Akuma Akumu. Suddenly, Megami noticed Kabuto was here in the valley just now, she never knew that he was watching the battle as well.

"Kabuto-san. I wonder what he's doing here in my land." she wondered.

Wondering, she began to disappear with butterflies with the color of crimsion red instead of black feathers.

Somewhere in the woods, Yume was still unconscious and was laying behind the tree after Sasuke saved her from falling. She opened her eyes slowly, realizing where she was now after the Valley of the End.

"I'm in a different place?" After she regained her consciousness, she noticed Sasuke was here, leaning behind the tree. "Sasuke..."

Sasuke noticed that she woke up from her unconscious state.

"You're alright?" he asked.

Yume never knew that he asked her if she's okay, despite he's her opponent. Will she fight him after the intense battle with the same Akuma Akumu from the last stage? But before that, she remembered that she was unconscious after using her Ju Inyoken due to using all of her chakra.

She began to answer, "Yes... but how?"

"You were unconscious after defeating that monster. So I caught you from falling down," answered the Uchiha.

The Hyuga's ally never realized that an avenger of the Uchiha like him would save her from crashing into the infinite water of the valley. She wondered what will happen next after he saved her life.

"Sasuke Uchiha. Are you... going to fight me although you're my opponent?" she asked.

Noticing the famous kunoichi questioned him, he scoffed it off as he looked away from her.

"Hmph. I'm not interested," Sasuke answered. "Fighting you as your opponent, I don't think this is special training."

Much to her confusion, Yume heard that he stated that the battle with him isn't a _special training_.

_"Special training? What's going on?"_

After Sasuke told Yume about the battle of the fifth stage of the nightmare game, will Yume complete it or she won't?


	23. Chapter 22: Hatred

This chapter is about Yume and Sasuke talking about hatred. Sasuke wanted for power in order to his older brother Itachi and Yume talked about her former hatred and the relationship with Kabuto Yakushi.

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Hatred<strong>

With Yume's confusion that Sasuke stated the battle of the fifth stage was his **special training**, the Ally of Byakugan began to misunderstand that Sasuke wasn't her opponent for no reason.

"What did you mean _special training_, Sasuke?" she asked.

Sasuke realized that Yume noticed that he wasn't her opponent although she already defeated the shadow bird with red eyes from the Valley of the End by destroying the regeneration black and white futatsu tomoe seal source.

"Orochimaru told me about the game he created before I left Konohgakure three years ago. He also chose me to be your opponent," Sasuke explained to Yume.

Much to her shockly surprise, Yume never knew that Sasuke became her opponent under the Snake Sannin's orders. With this, she became confused.

"Orochimaru ordered you to be my opponent? Why? I don't get it, I don't understand," she exclaimed while asking him. "What's going on?"

Her confusion caused her having hesitations about the fifth stage of the Seven Stages of Nightmares: Sasuke as her _opponent_, the shadow bird, and he told her the truth that Orochimaru ordered him to be her opponent. The Uchiha knew that Yume became confused after he told her.

"Didn't I told you back then before you defeated that monster? You're formerly the same as me," he answered.

Yume remembered that Sasuke told her about something that she was the same as him. Of course, the former source she had was hatred all along. After noticing this reason, she didn't say anything after she became enraged about Sasuke being her opponent as a part of his training. This reason was because of Kabuto, of course. He's the part of her former hatred that made her receiving revenge to kill him.

_"That's right... I knew about this. The hatred that was formerly kept within me inside,"_ she thought, stating. She grasped her right sleeve with her left hand very tightly while thinking of him.

Sasuke noticed Yume became uncomfortable after she knew this reason just now.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Yume heard Sasuke asking something and lifted her head at him. She shook her head, implying that nothing's wrong. She remembered that Sasuke has hatred because of Itachi, who killed the entire Uchiha clan nine years ago.

"Sasuke, did you hate him?" she asked.

He heard Yume asked him about hating the person, of course, Itachi Uchiha.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"You're the one who told me about that I was the same as you," she stated. "The hatred you hate someone, right?"

Sasuke knew as he remembered Orochimaru's words before he came to the Valley of the End in the Akumu no Kuni.

"By the way, she's the same as you; hatred and revenge," stated Orochimaru.

"What do you mean, Orochimaru?" asked Sasuke.

"That girl, however, doesn't have hatred within her anymore. She received that hatred because of Kabuto."

Remembering those words, he knew that Yume had hatred because of Kabuto Yakushi.

"Hmph. So you knew. How did you know about me and the destruction of my clan?" he asked.

Yume knew that she received information about Sasuke from Kabuto due to the former reason about having hatred when she encountered and chased after him from the mission with Team Kakashi and the Inyo shinobi on protecting the twins of the Inyo clan, Yuru and Yoru.

Before she stayed at her home village Inyogakure for training her new technique Ju Inyoken, she encountered Kabuto Yakushi in the forest and noticed that he was the one who killed her sensei three years ago. She met him while helping Sakura Haruno fighting against Kumaku, the former missing-nin and pawn of Yokami. After finding him, she began to fight Kabuto, but only failed. After he retreated, she went after him leaving Sakura to fight Kumaku.

Yume tried to find Kabuto with her Byakugan somewhere in the forest. She became inflamed with hatred that was within her.

_"I had no choice,_ _but to find him and kill him for killing Kai-sensei."_

Kabuto swiftly searching for others missing nins who were working for Yokami.

_"Yokami and the others are doing with the Konoha shinobi."_ he thought. He sensed that someone is following him. Senbon shoot towards him as a distraction. Kabuto blocked senbons with his Chakura no Mesu. _"Senbon..."_

Yume ambushed Kabuto with her chakura no mesu. He blocked Yume's chakra no mesu with his chakra no mesu when he noticed.

"I knew you're following me." said Kabuto. "You followed me with your Byakugan."

"Tell me... Why did you kill him?" she asked.

Kabuto realized she asked about he killed her sensei.

"Kai Kurosaki?" he implied. "Why do you ask?"

"Answer me... Kai-sensei was killed from his B-rank mission three years ago. It was you who killed him!"

Kabuto surprised, notcing she became enraged after she found him who killed Kai three years ago.

"Well, you've the eyes of hatred just like Sasuke-kun."

She realized that Kabuto was talking about Sasuke Uchiha.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You mean..." she implied.

"Yes, the last member of the Uchiha clan." answered Kabuto.

"Sasuke defected from Konoha three years ago. Why?" she asked.

"He wants power from Orochimaru-sama," he explained.

"Orochimaru... One of the Sannins, right?"

"Yes, I'm his right-hand man."

Yume became silent and hesitant after Kabuto told about Sasuke and his wish to become strong. She activated her Byakugan and began to fight Kabuto. He realized that Yume became tensed by her hatred.

"I won't forgive you. For killing Kai sensei. I will avenge Kai... In order to kill you!"

After remembering back then, she began to answer, "Kabuto told me the same thing that I had the eyes of hatred like you. However, I discarded that former source because it gave me revenge."

Sasuke knew that she did gave up her hatred although that Kabuto gave her pain. He remembered that he was the only one who didn't give the hatred. He needed power to kill Itachi after he met him again three years ago when Itachi and his partner Kisame Hoshigaki, the former Kirigakure shinobi of Seven Ninja Swordsmen, came to capture the Kyubi's jinchuriki Naruto Uzumaki.

"I see," he replied. "You still know about him, right?"

Yume knew that Sasuke was talking about Kabuto. She became discomforted whenever it was about Kabuto.

"Why did you mention about him to me?"

"Orochimaru told me that he has interested in you." he answered.

Knowing why, she knew that he was the source that she can't forget; the person who killed Kai, hurt her, and became interested in her and trying to use her by making her become his. Her eyes became hesitated and uncomfortable.

_"Why am I... being interested by someone I always hate?"_ she asked to herself as she thought. _"Why it always...?"_

Sasuke noticed she became speechless and began to talk to her. As he was about to tell her something, a door suddenly appear before the two. Yume began to realize that she finally completed the fifth stage of the game and she has two more stages to go, thus completing it.

"A door?" he noticed.

Yume began to towards the door after somehow finished talking with Sasuke Ucihha, much to his confusion.

"Where you're going?"

"To the the next stage. This door only appeared whenever I completed this stage such as defeating the shadow bird," she explained. "There are seven stages of this game, I completed four stages and this fifth stage will be completed once I enter the door to the next."

Sasuke didn't knew about the overview of the Seven Stages of Nightmares game. However, despite being Yume's _opponent_, he realized that the game of nightmares doesn't seem interesting to him.

"This game. I'm not interested about this game, so does this special training," he commented. "I don't feel stronger after fighting you."

After hearing that he's not interested about the Seven Stage of Nightmares and his special training in order to become strong, Yume knew that Sasuke is important to Naruto for a reason before she enters to the next stage.

Back then at the night of Inyogakure before she stayed for her Ju Inyoken training, Yume had a party with Team Kakashi, Sai, Yamato, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Iyame, Takeishi, Yuru, Yoru, Akuma, Jiraiya, and the two Inyo Sannins Yoshiro and Hibari at a special Chinese restrautant. During the party, she had a conservation with Naruto.

"Naruto..." said Yume.

"What is it, Yume?" Naruto replied.

Yume knew that Naruto knew Kabuto because of Sasuke, who was his comrade of Team 7 three years ago before his defection from Konoha. She remembered those words from Naruto when he came to her aid while she can't defeat Kabuto with her heart condition became severe.

Naruto met Kabuto again as he found him. He knew that he was here for some reasons because of Sasuke.

"Kabuto! Where's Sasuke!" asked Naruto with rage.

"Sasuke-kun? Oh, I can't tell you where he is," Kabuto answered.

The jinchuriki of the Kyubi became enraged with anger and growled at the medical-nin from Otogakure.

"Why you! I'll bring Sasuke back no matter what!"

"There's no way you will get Sasuke-kun back from Orochimaru-sama." he explained while adjusting his glasses.

After she knew those words, she knew that Sasuke is very important to Naruto.

"Remember you came to my aid when I had trouble with Kabuto during our mission? Sasuke's really important to you, right?" she implied.

Naruto surprised that Yume asked about Sasuke although he wanted to save him after he came back from his three-year training with Jiraiya.

"Yeah. I have to save Sasuke before it's too late," he answered.

"Too late?" she replied as she became confused.

"Ero-Sennin told me before we left Konoha three years ago. Orochimaru wanted Sasuke for something important and special. And he told me to give up on saving him, but I won't. Because Sasuke is important to me and Sakura-chan!"

Yume noticed that Sasuke was really important to Naruto and Sakura, no matter they tried to save him.

"I see, I understand how do you feel. Everyone even Neji-sempai knew you can do it, Naruto. If Sempai and the others are having faith in you for saving Sasuke, then I'll have faith in you as well." she complied.

Naruto surprised that Yume was giving faith in him for saving someone who's important to him all the time because of a special bond between the two of them. The blonde boy began to laugh with joy.

"Thanks, Yume!" he thanked.

The ally of the Hyuga clan smiled and replied, "You're welcome."

After remembering her conservation with Naruto Uzumaki back then, she turned her head around to Sasuke. Turning her head to him, she began to say something.

"I'm sure... Naruto Uzumaki'll save you. He have to because you're important to him," she answered.

Sasuke knew that Naruto didn't give up on saving him from Orochimaru and scoffed it up.

"Naruto..." he replied the name Yume mentioned to him. "Hmph, I won't go with him if he's going to _save _me from Orochimaru. All I want is... power. I need power to kill Itachi."

Yume knew that Sasuke wanted to power to kill Itachi with hatred.

"Then you do what you want... Hatred is within you all the time, unlike me." she replied.

"Do you have relationship with him?" Sasuke mentioned Kabuto to her, much to her discomfort surprise.

"Why did you ask?"

"Orochimaru told me that Kabuto has a special interest in you."

Before she was about to enter the door, she felt like she always hate him just like she formerly wanted to kill him for killing her sensei. Her former hatred has returned to her, but only was temorpary. She turned around to Sasuke and went towards him. As she went towards him, her right hand moved swiftly towards him that she was about to slap him.

After Yume slapped Sasuke, he didn't react any pain from her though he resisted it. Yume knew that she's the only one that Kabuto became interested. His desire, his intentions to use her, and her nightmare about being take away by him even he won't let her refuse his offer, caused her enraged. Her former hatred made her to yell.

"Why, why...? ...Why it's always me!" she yelled, shouting out of the whole forest. "To think I'm the one Kabuto wanted, I hate it! If it's about him, I will never trust him... ever! I feel discomfort whenever he calls me "his dearest"! That's why... That's why..."

Yume stopped yelling after she became to felt afraid. Sasuke realized Yume stopped saying the next and last part after she became enraged.

"That's why what?" he implied

She began to calm herself down after her former hatred caused her rage.

"If Kabuto wanted me to become his puppet, I always refuse to become his. That's why..." Yume remembered that she had a nightmare of herself being taken away by Kabuto. She felt afraid, even though she can't forget that nightmare. She also remembered Kabuto's words before she woke up with fear.

_"There's no escape. You're mine now. A bird in a cage who desires for freedom. However, this time... there will no freedom for you... my dearest Yume."_

"The way I think of him, the more I can't trust him all the time. No matter what happens to me, I can't let that happen. That is why... I'm afraid of him," she explained to Sasuke. "But I still won't never trust him. It's because he killed someone who was important to me..."

"Someone, important to you?" he replied.

"Kabuto killed my sensei three years ago... which it gave me hatred and revenge. My katana was formerly belong to my sensei before I received it. This is the one Kabuto knew back then when I first met him and realized that he's the one who killed my sensei three years. But I casted hatred and revenge away, that's why I'm different from you, Sasuke."

She turned away from Sasuke after telling him about her former hatred and relationship with Kabuto Yakushi. She knew that the door to the sixth stage was waiting for her. She completed four stages with her protector Yoji and the fifth all by herself. There were now two stages to go she must completed. Once she completed the nightmare game, she'll escape from being imprisoned by Kabuto. Before she leaves, she began to say one last thing to Sasuke.

"Although you'd really wanted power to become strong in order to kill Itachi, I'm sure you'll make any decision before anything happens to you once you become strong." she reminded Sasuke about his training in Otogakure.

The door opened for her and she entered to the sixth stage of the nightmare game. After Yume entered the door, the door disappeared completely. Right now, he began to notice that someone was watching him even after talking with the Hyuga's ally.

"I know you're there. Come out already," he said.

"Well, you're already noticed by now, Sasuke-kun."

Coming out from hiding, a figure walked towards him and it was Megami.

"You again, huh?" Sasuke noticed after seeing Megami.

The goddess chuckled, "Like always, wishing to become strong to kill an important person. Yes, your nii-san Itachi."

Sasuke noticed that Megami stood on the Madara Uchiha statue at the Valley of the End back then and knew that she's the one who summoned her shadow bird, defeated and destroyed by Yume.

"You summoned that bird, did you?" he inquired.

"My, I see you noticed me where I was standing on the other statue, watching the battle. Defeating the shadow bird by destroying the source of recovering," stated Megami. She began to see his face, noticing Sasuke received from Yume. "It's so special when you didn't reacted painfully from Yume."

"I don't care about that after seeing her that she hates Kabuto," he answered.

"I see, I understand then." she noticed. "I never knew you're not interesting about this special training from Orochimaru-sama and you as her opponent."

"Aren't you the one who summons the shadow bird to kill her or me?" he asked, suspiciously.

"That's true. But I wanted to see her true powers as the Hyuga's ally. At least she completed the stage." she stated. "I'll be waiting for her on the final stage. Of course, you're not that interested about the game."

After the talk with Sasuke, she disappeared once again with crimson butterflies. Sasuke knew that he only interested in becoming strong and kill his own nii-san Itachi.

On the other hand, Kabuto, hidden among the trees, knew that Megami really wanted to fight Yume on the final stage of the Seven Stages and Yume's confession to Sasuke about her and himself.

"Well... at least Yume shared her hatred feelings to Sasuke-kun." he mentioned.

With the the fifth has finally completed, Yume must find her two friends and Yoji on the next stage. Will she reunite with them or encounter her next opponent?


	24. Chapter 23: The Nightmare Seeker

This chapter will be about Team Tsukida encountering the mysterious man who was somehow called the **Nightmare Seeker** in the bamboo forest.

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><p><strong>Chapter 23: The Nightmare Seeker<strong>

Somewhere in the bamboo forest, Team Tsukida were still looking for Rika, Pana, Kazekiri, and Yori. However, they still can't find them by using their Inyo Chou, black and white butterflies to find the other Inyo shinobi by sensing their chakra. Just then, the three of them came to Tsukida, Seiichi, and Kuta, realizing the butterflies can't find them somehow.

"This is getting of nowhere. We can't find them by using the butteflies..." said Kuta, sighing.

"This Akumu no Kuni is strange somehow." Tsukida stated.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The only thing we encountered and fought are the Akuma Akumu, the shadow creatures that can transforming into an animal or shinobi with our appearances according to Ayumu-san," he answered.

"You're right, Tsukida. It's a difficult battle even we fought the Akuma Akumu with Rika and Pana's appearance." Seiichi explained. "Hm... what are they anyway?"

Suddenly, when the three Inyo shinobi talked about the shadows, a mysterious voice appeared.

"Akuma Akumu, demons of shadows. You asked about those monsters? There were no actual human, but they were killed by them when they came to this land of terrified nightmares."

Kuta became shockly surprised when he heard the voice.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" he provoked the voice to come out as he began to prepare his fighting stance.

The black flower petals appeared in the air and the figure came out from them as well. A man with a medium black hair wearing a grey Chinese jacket with a black flower which was somehow a black camellia and long grey pants with martial artist shoes. His face was somehow concealed a blank mask, only white and no texture of the eyes.

"Well, I guess you're the loudest one I ever met," he commented to Kuta.

Kuta became confused with rage. "What did you say!" he asked. "And I don't like that blank mask, it makes me confused after all!"

"Kuta, wait!" Tsukida halted him from attacking the blank masked man. "That man knew about the Akuma Akumu."

"Tsukida-sama's right. I know about the Akuma Akumu." he replied with addressing Tsukida-sama, much to the their shockly suprise.

"You know him?" Seiichi confused.

"Yes, even you two. Seiichi and Kuta." the blank masked man answered as he began to introduce himself to Team Tsukida. "I'm the Nightmare Seeker."

"The Nightmare Seeker?" Kuta replied. "What's a nightmare seeker? Can't you tell us your name?"

"I'm afraid I won't tell you. That's not important to you." the seeker answered.

"Then how did you know us?" Tsukida implied.

"Tsukida-sama, do you hate your chichiue six years ago?"

Tsukida became shocked when he remembered that he was the heir of the Yukisaki clan and son of Okami Yukisaki. Back then, he was ten years old and learned about kenjutsu taught by Okami. However, he tried to learn kenjutsu by praticing kendo training, only to let his guard down when fighting an opponent.

"Chichiue... I..."

"Even though you tried your best, but are you worthy enough to use the Yoshiyuki of the Yukisaki clan?"

"Huh?" Tsukida heard the same voice as his, much to surprised shock.

A shadow figure appeared with the Nightmare Seeker and the figure was none other than... Tsukida! Kuta and Seiichi became confusely shocked when he saw the _other _Tsukida.

"Huh? Two Tsukidas!" Kuta confused.

"What's going on?" Seiichi implied hastely with confusion.

"I'll tell you two what's going on! Unless you understand _us_."

The two figures appeared behind the other Tsukida and what's worst, the two were Kuta and Seiichi.

"That's... me!" shocked Kuta.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Hell yeah, what a stupid dope you are. This is you? Seeker-san is right. You're really the loudest shinobi ever I first saw." the other Kuta stated, laughing with madness.

The three shinobi were simliar to the originals, but their eyes are crimson red as blood.

"What are they?" Tsukida confused.

"What are we? How pathetic." commented the _other_ Seiichi. "We're you."

"Us? That's impossible. How can you be us?" Seiichi noticed as he replied to his other self.

"Oh, we'll tell you now. Don't be confused." said the other Kuta. "We're called the Nightmares Selves, created by the Seeker himself!"

"You created those? Why?" Tsukida asked the Nightmare Seeker.

"How about you'll listen to your nightmare selves, Tsukida-sama." he answered. "Although I sensed hatred within you."

"Hatred?" the Yukisaki heir implied.

"Yes. _My_ father. I'm the heir, the worthy wielder of the Yoshiyuki. However... in my dark heart, I hate him." Tsukida's nightmare self answered.

"You hate Chichiue?" Tsukida noticed.

"He never accept me who I am. Every member of the Yukisaki clan knew I'm the son of the current head. And what do I get... nothing!" he answered with wrath. "Six years ago, you tried your best by blocking your opponent's blocks, but you can't!"

Tsukida shocked that his nightmare self really hated his chichiue and began to reply to him, "Why? I do not hate him..."

"That's right! Tsukida, unlike you, didn't really hate Okami-sama!" Kuta agreed.

"Well, what about you then? Your dream is to become stronger as your tomboyish childhood friend Pana, right? Well, that's a pathetic dream for you!" said his nightmare self with bitter envy.

Kuta shocked that his dream to become stronger as Pana and replied as he became angry, "What! A pathetic dream? Take that back!"

"Kuta, calm down. I don't know about this, but those three, who looked like us, is toying with us," Seiichi stated.

"You think we're toying with you?" implied Seiichi's nightmare self with a sadistic look from his face. "Although you're really me, but... what about your precious imoto-chan Rika? I know you got separated from Rika because you can't save her."

Seiichi got shocked when his nightmare self was talking about Rika. He became enraged at his nightmare self.

"Why Rika! She doesn't involved with you!" he replied to him.

"Well, of course. But what about you? You always care for her," he explained to Seiichi. "You looked after her when Tou-san disappeared from the long-term mission when you and Rika were Academy students before our early graduation three years ago. But right now, you can't save her from the separation back then."

Seiichi became difficult with confusion, encountering his nightmare self.

"Do you finally understand why we're you? We're your nightmare selves, your dark enemies," explained the nightmare Tsukida to the three originals.

Team Tsukida became provoked with confusion after the nightmare Tsukida told them about themselves. With difficult decisions, Tsukida was about to say something, knowing they can't accept the truth about the nightmare selves.

"No..." said Tsukida.

The seeker noticed that Tsukida was about to say something. _"There it is."_ he thought.

"No! You, Seiichi, and Kuta. You're not us!" he yelled, refusing the fact their nightmare selves are really them while shutting his eyes with pain.

All the sudden, they felt the dark aura within themselves. Tsukida's nightmare self scoffed at his shout, Kuta began to laugh mercilessly, and Seiichi knew that he had no choice, but to kill his original self.

"You're not us? Well, it's too late to take it back what you said." the nightmare Seiichi complied.

"You're gonna regret it!" said the nightmare Kuta.

"Even though you refused the fact we're you," his nightmare self replied to Tsukida. "then you shall receive death!"

The dark aura engulfed them transformed into new appearances and attires after Tsukida won't accept the truth from the three. His nightmare self became a dark samurai while the two nightmare selves: Kuta became a dark taijutsu expert and Seiichi became a dark ninja tool expert. Their outfit were dark as shadows.

"We are the true nightmares... The true self," Tsukida introduced themselves to the original Team Tsukida.

"With these true darkness gave us ultimate power, it's impossible to defeat us," stated Seiichi.

"And there's no way that you can defeat us even you can't accept us!" Kuta replied.

They became shocked after encountering their nightmare selves and Tsukida's refusement.

"They're very powerful," Kuta became tensed after seeing the true darkness within their nightmare selves. "Tsukida, I can't believe you just said that they're not us."

"I'm sorry," Tsukida apologized to him and Seiichi.

"There's no time to apologize, Tsukida. We have to fight them before they'll kill us!" Seiichi consoled to him.

"That's correct. But you can't defeat me even you can't protect Rika." he replied to Seiichi.

The older ninja tool expert knew that he've no choice to fight his other self. This, of course, was his first time fighting someone, who really looked like him.

"It's time for me to leave then." the seeker said. He began to disappear with black petals which are somehow camellias. "If you really want to survive from this battle, you must face your nightmare selves."

"Face our nightmare selves? That doesn't make sense!" Kuta confused.

"We have to fight them. There's no other choice." explained Seiichi.

Tsukida became hesitant when fighting his nightmare self after listening to him about his chichiue.

_"I don't hate Chichiue. I just want to protect my clan as the heir."_

Suddenly, his nightmare self began to draw his Yoshiyuki and attack Tsukida, much to his shock.

"I wouldn't let my guard down if I were you." he warned him.

"Tsukida!" yelled Kuta.

"Oh no you don't. Your opponent is me!" his nightmare self replied to Kuta. "Let's see. Who's better? Me or you?"

Kuta blocked his opponent's fast and hasty attacks. _"Damn it..."_

Seiichi began to use his ninja tool scroll, so does his nightmare self at the same thing. The two began to summon their varieties of ninja tool blocking each other.

"I hope you've more ninja tools kept in your other scroll right now."

"I don't need to waste my ninja tools while fighting against the likes of you!"

The ninja tool expert kept using more ninja tools, only noticed that his nightmare self summoned kunai with explosive tags and activated them. They exploded and sent Seiichi from the intense ninja tool battle with his other self.

Kuta noticed that Seiichi got hurt from the battle while blocking the attacks.

"Seiichi!" he yelled.

However, his nightmare self kicked him to the stomach, making him to cough blood, and then grabbed his green chinese sleeveless shirt and threw him on the ground ruthlessly.

"What an idiot. You can't even concentrate on fighting against your opponent after seeing Seiichi defeated." he commented to Kuta.

Tsukida kept blocking his nightmare self's attacks with his Yoshiyuki.

"No matter you keep blocking, you still can't defeat me even with your hesitation!"

He used his Yoshiyuki with his dark release technique.

"Yami Ryu Kiri!"

He swung his Yoshiyuki at Tsukida with his dark dragon-like blade and Tsukida got hit. However, the Yukisaki heir stood stronger despite getting hurt from his nightmare self's technique.

"I'm not hesitating while fighting against you. I don't even hate Chichiue for no reason," Tsukida exclaimed. "All I wanted is my approval from him. I tried so hard for the past six years."

"I don't care as the heir and his son as well!" he angerily replied.

He began to come towards Tsukida with his Yoshiyuki, running. Tsukida, on the other, began to use his Yoshiyuki using his samurai stance.

_"Chichiue..."_

From his flashback at the Yukisaki clan, Tsukida was training at the kendo, practicing his kenjutsu with a practice katana and swinging. He wore a kendo uniform that contained a white top and a dark blue hakama. His feet were barefooted when he was at the dojo. While training, his chichiue came to him and Tsukida noticed as he stopped swining his practice katana. He's the current head of the Yukisaki and Tsukida's father. He wore a simple light grey yukata with a black obi and his black hair tied in a ponytail. He also had sky blue eyes.

"Chichiue."

"Can I have a talk with you, Tsukida?" Okami asked.

Tsukida surprised that his chichiue asked him to have a talk with him and nodded as an agreement.

After his training, he and Okami sat on the floor of the courtyard, watching the pond with a deer scare and was filled with koi fish, some were black while the others were white with or without orange marks on the scales.

"It's a first time, having a talk with you, Chichiue." Tsukida complied.

"Tsukida," said Okami. "Is your twin relative Yume important to you."

Tsukida surprised when he asked him that if Yume was important to him. He answered, "Yes, even before that Yume-san was Yori's twin sister. I was surprised after Oji-sama noticed her because of her Byakugan after all what happened back then."

He noticed that Yori didn't notice about Yume as his twin sister for the very first time. "I wonder Yori will notice if he sees her for the first time."

"Don't worry, Tsukida. I'm sure Yori will meet her someday. After all, he's the member of our clan and your twin cousin as well ever since Musashi passed away." he explained.

He knew that Tsukida must be worthy enough to use the Yoshiyuki, the katana used by the Yukisaki clan for generations. He was once a heir while his chichiue was the previous head. According the clan's generations, the Yoshiyuki was used by the heir, given from the father, who is the head.

"Tsukida, from now on, you're free to use the Yoshiyuki since it was kept hidden in the ninja tool scroll for a long time." he exclaimed to his son.

Tsukida became surprised when his chichiue told him to use it from now on, despite receving it three years ago after graduating from the Inyo Academy.

"Chichiue, are you sure? You really want me to use the Yoshiyuki?" he implied.

Okami nodded. "Protect your teammates and other are important to you, Tsukida. Never forget that."

He smiled at his chichiue after hearing the great news for using the Yoshiyuki he received and began to thank him, "Thank you, Chichiue. I will protect Seiichi and Kuta even Yume-san, I promise."

After remembering back then, he began to use his Yoshiyuki with a different kenjutsu as his nightmare self went towards him.

_"I'll show you, the true meaning as the heir of the Yukisaki."_

His Yoshiyuki was encoated with dark chakra like the Yami Ryukiri except that was very powerful. Tsukida swung his Yoshiyuki and summoned an ultimate technique of the great dragon when his nightmare self was about to kill him.

"Ougi! Ryu no Mugen Hokori!"

His slash attacked his nightmare self, much to his shocking surprise, and defeated him completely. His nightmare self went back to normal as the true darkness disappeared.

"Why...? I don't believe I'm defeated. I don't understand," said his nightmare self, becoming pitiful after receving the defeat.

"This is the true meaning as the Yukisaki's heir. Chichiue allowed me to use the Yoshiyuki from now on, despite he gave me three years ago and told me not to use it," Tsukida explained to his other self. "This is my approval. No matter what happens, I'll protect everyone who are important to me. I'm you no matter who you are."

His nightmare surprised that Tsukida stated the true reason as the heir and nodded, agreeing with him. "Yes, you're right. You don't hate Chichiue all along..."

His nightmare turned into a light orb after hearing the true reason. The light orb went within Tsukida's body and healing him from the intense battle. Tsukida noticed that his other self accepted the fact he'd never hated his own chichiue all this time. He realized that he began to wonder that Seiichi and Kuta were all right after fighting the two nightmare selves.

He went to check on the two and saw the other nightmare selves went back to normal, much to his suprise.

"Don't worry, Tsukida-sama. Seiichi and Kuta are all right."

Kazekiri appeared with the unconscious Seiichi and Kuta and Tsukida noticed that she's all right.

"Kazekiri-san, you're all right." he said.

"I see you're okay as well." she replied.

Kuta moaned slowly as he opened his eyes, regaining his consciousness. "What happened?"

Seiichi also regained his consciousness. Tsukida noticed that they're about to wake up.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're all right somehow," Seiichi replied.

The two noticed that the two nightmare selves were back to normal after the true darkness disappeared and became speechless towards them.

"What's the matter? Can't say something next?" Kuta asked him, angry at him.

"That's enough, Kuta. They won't do anything after the true darkness within him disappeared all the sudden," Tsukida replied to him.

"He's right. After I defeated the two while you were unconscious, they didn't say anything just now," the wind explained to Seiichi and Kuta.

"So now what?" Seiichi wondered, looking at his nightmare self with a difficult face.

Tsukida knew that Seiichi and Kuta have to accept them just like he told the true reason with his other self.

"Seiichi, Kuta. I know it's hard to face them, but you have to accept it," he stated. "If you don't, who knows what will happen next."

"But he mocked me! Even Seiichi's other self told him that he can't protect Rika!" Kuta protested.

"There's no other choice. We have to do this."

"Then tell me why!"

"Because I told my nightmare self the true reason that I don't hate Chichiue," he answered.

Kuta and Seiichi shockly surprised that Tsukida faced his nightmare self. The dark taijutsu chunin became slightly speechless after realizing about his important dream, to become stronger as Pana. Seiichi knew that Rika was still somewhere even she was with Pana as well.

"Kuta, we have to do this. Even we have to find Rika, Pana, and Yori." Seiichi exclaimed.

"Yeah, I got an important dream after all."

The two encountered their other selves after Tsukida convined them that he told his other self the true reason.

"You're really me, after all. When I first met Pana as a kid, I'm kinda jealous of her because of her talented taijutsu. So I decided to become stronger as her. This is my most important dream I tried to keep up with her." he complied.

"You're right. It's my fault I can't save Rika from the whirlwind back then, but I'm sure I'll find her no matter what happens to her," Seiichi explained. "I'm you and you're me all this time. And I won't give up until we'll reunite with her."

The two nightmare selves smiled and nodded as an agreement with Kuta and Seiichi. They became two light orbs and went within them, recovering them from the extreme battle.

"Glad that's over." Seiichi stated, noticing that he felt better.

"I believe I need to know what happened before I came to save you and Kuta," Kazekiri suggested.

"That's right. Kazekiri came to save us while we can't defeat them and then we passed out."

"Yeah, and what's strange is that man who called himself the Nightmare Seeker." Kuta mentioned before he disappeared when Tsukida refused the face to their nightmare selves.

"The Nightmare Seeker?" she replied.

"Yes, but he somehow knows about us," Tsukida stated. "I want to know why after we faced our other selves. Whether or not we might see him again."

Kazekiri knew something suspicious about the Nightmare Seeker, but what's important was to find the others even Yumekui.

"We've to find the others. I believe we could them here in this bamboo forest," she convinced Team Tsukida.

"Then let's go." Tsukida replied.

Later, somewhere in the bamboo forest, Yume searched for them after she came here from the previous stage where she fought Sasuke and defeated the shadow bird, who separated from Yoji, Rika, and Pana. She activated the Byakugan to search for them, however she couldn't find them.

_"I couldn't find them right here. I wonder they're okay,"_ she thought. She remembered that there was a white kunoichi from the previous stage she caught a glimpse before she passed out. Back then, she was smiling at her after she defeated the shadow bird with her Ju Inyoken. _"Who is she? And why did she smiled at me?"_

While wondering about the mysterious kunoichi from the previous stage, she saw a black feather appeared in front of her and caught it with her right hand.

"A black feather?"

After catching it, it suddenly disaapeared into a shadow darkness, much to her confusing surprise.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yume Yukisaki."

She heard a voice who greeted her and watched the figure came out from the bamboo trees. A person she encountered was Ikari, one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"Who are you? And how did you know my name?" she asked.

"I'm Ikari, one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. My partner wasn't with me just now. At least I finally found you, Yume Yukisaki," he introduced.

A strange meeting with him, who knew about her, this battle was yet to begin. Will Yume defeat him without Yoji's help?


	25. Chapter 24: A Survivor of the Tengu clan

This chapter is about Ikari and the truth behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24: A Survivor of the Tengu clan<strong>

After encountering Ikari in the sixth stage, Yume became bewilderment when he knew her for some reasons.

"Show me. Your true power as the Ally of the Byakugan, Yume Yukisaki." said Ikari, taking his katana with his right hand from the waist and preparing himself to fight Yume.

She felt something strange with the man, who looked like a samurai because of his appearances and his attire.

_"This person... It feels like... he's somehow human, but different to me."_ thought Yume. She began to draw her katana with her left hand, realizing that she needs to find out about Ikari. _"I have to find out about Ikari. Something's not right just now."_

"I'm in the hurry, but I have no choice although you're my opponent." she replied.

"Very well then, shall we begin?"

Meanwhile, somewhere, Yoji and the two Inyo kunoichi were still looking for Yume and the others were separated from the whirlwind when they came to the Akumu no Kuni. He used Ifrit to sniff Yume or the other Inyo shinobi. The flame demon tried to find Yume's scent or the others, and turned to Yoji as it shook its head.

"I see," said Yoji. "You did best, Ifrit. You can take a rest."

Ifrit nodded and returned back into the chakrams and Yoji caught them and put them around his waist.

"No luck just now. I'm sure we'll find them, so don't worry," he exclaimed.

Pana understood and Rika was somehow shivered herself, trying to warm up with her both hands.

"What's wrong, Rika? You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm just... a little cold." Rika replied.

"Cold?" Yoji implied.

He noticed the mist already appeared around him with Rika and Pana. He prepared himself after noticing the mist.

"Come on out! I know you're there somewhere!" he shouted at the mist.

A silhouette came out from the mist, laughing. "Well, if it isn't Ryoji. I didn't know you're there with those two girls."

It was none other than Yoku who once again summoned the mist after he somehow survived from the blast, while fighting against Kazekiri.

"Yoku..." Yoji growled at him.

"Ryoji?" Pana replied.

"Yoji-san... you know him?" Rika implied.

Yoji knew that his secret as the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare was revealed to the unaware Inyo kunoichi because of Yoku.

"Pana, take Rika with you and get back."

Pana became confused, but took Rika with her to the bamboo trees. Yoji prepared himself with his chakrams.

"Well, fighting against me huh? Talk about an ice and flame battle," Yoku commented.

"How about you just shut up!" He threw his chakrams, only the ice release user dodged them. Yoji caught them after he missed.

"Whoa, aren't you my puppet leader? Well, I believe those two kunoichi are outsiders. In that case," He began to make a hand seal of tiger. "Hyoton: Aisu Keiji!"

A mist became an ice cage imprisoned Rika and Pana from above. Yoji noticed with shock, seeing that Yoku used them as hostages.

"Let them go!" he yelled.

"Sorry, I can't do that, but I'll let them watch our battle," Yoku stated.

"This cage. It's so cold..." Rika complied as she became more cold. She began to pass out while she was a cold cage.

Pana caught her as she became shocked. "Rika!" she yelled.

Yoji noticed that the frozen cage caused Rika became cold and became enraged at Yoku.

"Hey, easy there, Leader-san. Why an angry face? I don't know why you're with those two, but I believe neither of the two is not the challenger."

Yoji noticed that Yoku was looking for Yume and knew that he can't let him find her if he had to fight him. _"Yume..."_

Later, on the other side of the bamboo forest, the battle already began after Yume encountered Ikari. They clashed with their katana, blocking their attacks. His kenjutsu was very malevolent as he swung hastily. Yume tried to block his attacks from her katana.

"Kazekiri!" She slashes with her katana at Ikari, only noticed that Ikari destroyed her kenjutsu with one cut.

"Your nature element is wind, I see. A same element as I am," he stated.

"Same? You mean..." she replied with shock. "Your element is wind."

"Correct, with my katana and my nature element, I can destroy your Kazekiri with one slash."

Yume became hesitated, wondering with confusion. "What are you? You looked human, but you're not somehow."

"Not human? Well, unlike my partner and the other four you somehow defeated them, I'm actually a yokai from the extinct clan, the Tengu clan." he stated.

Much to Yume's shocking surprise from him, Ikari was the yokai of the clan called Tengu.

"The Tengu clan? You're a yokai?" she implied.

"It all happened when we invaded Inyogakure and I'm survivor of the Tengu clan. The Tengu were yokai such as the karasu tengu. I'm the last karasu tengu of the yokai clan."

He began to transform himself to his yokai form of the Karasu Tengu. He summoned his black wings behind his back, showing Yume his true form.

"Black wings!" shocked Yume.

"As your opponent, it's best to show you my true form, despite showing my partner, the Ice Release user, and the other four."

Yume never knew that her opponent was a karasu tengu because of his crow-like wings. She knew that she had to do this if she needs to find Yoji and her two comrades Rika and Pana.

_"If I have to defeat Ikari, then I have to defeat him. I can't lose to a yokai like him."_

She began to use her Kazekiri once again at Ikari, only he flew up. Yume used her autumn leaves genjutsu, supporting and enabling her to fly and go after Ikari.

"Well, you used genjutsu with autumn leaves to support you," the black-winged yokai complied to her.

"I won't lose to a yokai like you even you're one of the seven nightmares," she replied.

"I see, but I'm afraid you can't defeat me. As a member of the Seven Shinobi, I'm the strongest. I was once chosen because of Orochimaru and my former master Yokami after my clan was destroyed," he explained. "Even I was the first one who joined Megami-sama."

Yume became shocked when Ikari mentioned Yokami, the deceased Sannin and a missing-nin whom she killed from destroying Inyogakure.

"You know him?" she inquired.

"Yes, until I heard about his death by your hands. Consider this a battle of fate, Yume Yukisaki."

"Then you knew Megami? If so, she's the leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares?"

"That's correct until she chose Ryoji, the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare. Despite him as leader, he never talk with us."

_"Yoji-san..."_ she realized.

"At least, he wasn't with you by any chance," Ikari mentioned.

Her eyes became more shocked when Ikari knew that Yoji wasn't with her due to the separation. "How did you know?" she asked.

"Netami and Taidana told me after you and Ryoji disappeared." he answered. "I never knew that Ryoji is protecting you. And also, no wonder Kabuto Yakushi requested him as a _special mission_ at the beginning of the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

Yume heard that Ikari was talking about Kabuto, whom she would never trust. She became distraught and began to say something to Ikari.

"I dare you. Say that name in front of me," She activated her Byakugan to show him with killing intent and especially using her former hatred towards him. "I'll kill you."

_"Her eyes. Hatred? No. What could that be then?"_ Ikari noticed. "It seems that you hate him. I don't know what kind of hatred you have just now, but you can't defeat me as a yokai."

"I will if I can! Even I won't give up on fighting against you!"

She went towards Ikari, using her katana while Ikari blocked her attack with his. They clashed with their katana once again.

"Kaze no Mai!"

She danced along with her autumn leaves genjutsu. Autumn leaves began to attack Ikari, only he dodged and repelled them with just one slash.

"Like I told you, you can't defeat me."

Yume noticed the dark aura within the yokai with sudden shock. _"What is this?"_

"Tengu Ichizoku Ougi, Shin-fu Senjin!"

Using his katana combining with his black wings, thousand of winds he summoned that were dead came towards Yume and wounded her a thousand times. She resisted Ikari's kenjutsu, but with these dead winds, she began to fall from the air and came inside the bamboo trees. The autumn maple leaves went to save her from landing on the ground and caught her just in time. Yume was now wounded from the thousand slashes and began to slowly pass out. Ikari flapped his wings and stood victory.

Later, somewhere in the autumn trees of Yume no Kuni, Kaito, also known as Kai, sat on the bench, noticing the autumn leaves had somehow fade away all the sudden. He wore a usual outfit from three years ago before his death, except there were textures of white camellias on the jacket and martial artist shoes. He had a silver cane with a small crystal orb inside the glass along with him, laying near by him.

He sensed that his student was wounded by Ikari and began to whisper to himself. "Yume..."

With Yume defeated by Ikari, will she can defeat with her remaining strength? Kai's whisper caused him worried after sensing something had happened to Yume.


	26. Chapter 25: Comrades Who Supports Her

This chapter will about Yume's true determination after realizing with the help of Naruto and his friends in her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25: Comrades Who Supports Her<strong>

Later, Yoji and Yoku's battle became a rivalry battle of flame and ice after the greedy ice release user imprisoned Pana and Rika, who passed out from feeling cold.

Yoji fought fiercely, trying to defeat Yoku in order to free the two Inyo kunoichi from his ice cage. He kept throwing his chakrams at the ice release user, only for him to dodge them. Yoji caught them back aftey they came to him.

"How long will you keep throwing them?" asked Yoku.

"How about you just stop dodging my chakrams!" Yoji enraged.

He began to use his fire release ninjutsu without using his hand seals due to having the flame element.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu."

He summons at seven small fireballs at Yoku. However, he froze them with just one hand. Pana shocked as she saw Yoku froze seven of them at once.

"What! He froze them at the same time," Pana stated.

"As an ice release user, I could do everything with this element even freezing Ryoji's Katon ninjutsu." he stated. "Now I'll freeze you all."

As Yoku was about to perform his ice technique, autumn maple leaves appeared in front of him as an ambush. He backed away from the leaves, noticing them.

"You're still alive, huh? How about you just come out, Kaze Ojou-san?" he implied.

"Kaze Ojou-san?" Yoji confused.

All the sudden, the autumn leaves disappeared and Kazekiri appeared in front of Yoku while protecting Yoji.

"You're Kazekiri!" the flame shinobi noticed her after she stopped Yoku from freezing him with Rika and Pana.

"I knew it was you. It's just a _breeze_." Yoku complied to the wind spirit.

"I won't let you hurt them." she replied.

A big icy crack made Yoku heard just now as he saw Tsukida destroyed the ice cage with his Yoshiyuki and freed Pana along with Rika, who was about to be carried by Seiichi in his arms.

"You're okay, Pana?" Kuta asked.

"Yeah, but Rika passed out because of that person," Pana pointed at Yoku.

"He did this to Rika?" Seiichi implied with shock.

"She passed out because of the mist and the ice cage he imprisoned us before you came to free us."

Kazekiri used her katana, preparing herself to fight Yoku once again.

"This won't be the same battle from the last time," he stated, preparing himself with his ice release techniques that were yet to be shown.

Meanwhile at the Yume no Kuni, Kai kept watching the autumn leaves, hoping to make sure they didn't fade after sensing that Yume was wounded from the battle against the karasu tengu Ikari.

Asaka, the flower spirit and Ayumu's assistant, noticed as he saw Kai's worried and concern expression. He is a young boy with black shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. He wore a red Chinese shirt with short sleeves and medium pants above ankles. He seem to have his feet bare-footed.

"What's wrong, Kai-san? You're worried just now," he asked.

After Asaka asked him, there was no reply from the dream keeper although it was about Yume. Ayumu came to Asaka and Kai. She currently wore a white Chinese long qipao with a kanji dream as a texture. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, leaving her bangs on each side.

"Don't worry, Asaka-kun. Kai was worried about Yume-sama just now," she replied. "I knew that he might have a dream vision though I gave him the power to see of any event three years ago."

"Ayumu-san, I have a feeling that Yume-san is very important to him." her assistant stated.

"Yes... I wonder what will he do next."

Kai knew that he was the only one who was important to Yume and began to say something to himself. "Yume..."

Asaka heard Kai said Yume and Ayumu knew it happened just now. Somewhere in the Akumu no Kuni, a voice began to tell the unconscious Yume.

"Please don't give up, Yume."

Yume opened her white eyes immediately after hearing this familiar voice.

_"That voice!"_ she surprised. She knew it was Kai all the sudden, but is it really him? She remembered her memories from three years ago about her and Kai. She first met him at the Academy after becoming the genin. Everything he taught her medical ninjutsu, a reason why she didn't had comrades, and grave news about Kai's death. _"Kai-sensei. I don't know, but it's really his voice. No mistaken... It's really him."_

She stood up slowly and the autumn maple leaves supported her flight. Ikari noticed with shock that she survived from his kenjutsu ougi of the Tengu clan.

"That's impossible. No one even the deceased challengers would survive my Shin-fu Senjin from three years," the yokai stated. "How come you're the only one who survived?"

Yume panted slowly. She took her katana and gripped it seriously with her left hand. "I can't give up... I have to defeat you. If I don't, I won't complete this game," she stated. "I won't end up killed like the rest of the former challengers!"

Ikari realized that Kabuto used her to complete the nightmare game for the very first time after he chose Yume.

_"Kabuto Yakushi... Is this what you want? Making her to complete this game unlike the incomplete games from three years ago?" _he thought with a concern look from his face. "I see. So that's why. However, I can't let you complete this game. If you're really serious, then you leave me no choice."

As the second battle was about to began, Kabuto kept following Yume and found her as he hid himself in the bamboo trees. Right now, he saw wounds on her arms and her white sleeve on her right arm, showing few rips, with a sudden surprise. And then, he saw Ikari in his yokai form of the karasu tengu. He knew that Yume encountered Ikari before he came. What's strange is that Yoku wasn't him by the time being.

"So Ikari wounded her," he stated. He knew that he had to watch the battle until one of them become defeated. _"With my dearest survived from his Shin-fu Senjin, who knows what will happen next."_

Yume began to went towards Ikari with her flight from the leaves and used her katana, peforming her Kazekiri as she prepared to strike him. The karasu tengu noticed and was about to cut her Kazekiri once again with his katana. However, it was a distraction as Ikari realized, blocking his katana from her attacks with hers.

_"A distraction!" _Knowing that, he backed away from her while flapping his raven wings. He knew that something happened with Yume after she regained her consciousness. "I can't you let survive even though you want to complete this game by defeating me!"

He began to use his ougi of the Tengu with his clan once again at Yume.

"Tengu Ichizoku Ougi, Shin-fu Senjin!" He summoned thousand slashes once again and Yume summoned her autumn leaves genjutsu to protect her from the slashes. However, with the autumn maple leaves protecting her, something had changed. "Shin-fu Senjin Nidankai, Tsumujikaze!"

The Hyuga clan's ally became shockly surprised when she was ambushed by the whirlwind, giving her more slashes. Yume knew that she can't die right now as she closed her eyes.

_"Kai-sensei..."_

Suddenly, a different voice called her, "Don't give up."

Yume suddenly surprised as she found herself in the white and empty place. "That voice. Could be it?" she wondered.

She noticed as someone appeared before her. A shinobi with a black Konoha forehead protector and blonde hair with blue eyes and whiskers wore a black and orange attire. She realized him with a suprise look.

"Naruto!"

"You promised us you'll come back from your training at your home village, right Yume?" said Naruto.

She remembered that she made a promise to return to Konoha after she once finally learned the Ju Inyoken completely. "Yes, I remember that promise."

"Then show me what you got! Don't worry, we'll support you as well!" he replied.

"Do your best, Yume-san." Sakura said as she appeared along with Sai.

"We'll be waiting your return," Sai smiled at Yume.

"Yume-kun! Please don't give up with the pitiful youth!" Lee appeared with the tearful, but powerful youth.

"Even you're the Ally of the Byakugan, there's no way you can't give up that easily, Yume." Tenten stated after she appeared with Lee.

"Lee. Tenten. Sakura-dono. Sai. Naruto..." she realized after hearing their statements for not give up. "I..."

She felt a pat on her shoulder and turned her head around as she noticed her senpai Neji Hyuga.

"Neji-senpai..."

"Show me your true determination." he said. "Even though you and I have the same relationship because of our late chichiue, I know you want to become strong with your support to us. The reason we're supporting you is your true strength."

Yume noticed that they support her to become stronger and her eyes showed tears of joy as she became happy. "Everyone... Thank you."

While she was trapped in a whirlwind, she finally opened her eyes with true determination after realizing that Naruto and his friends were supporting her.

_"I know I support everyone because I'm their ally, but right now they're supporting me. It was me who was supported in order to become strong all this time."_

She began to use her katana with her wind chakra and what was happening, it engulfed the whirlwind all the sudden. Ikari became shocked as he saw Yume combined her wind chakra and his second technique of the Shin-fu Senjin.

"What!" the yokai shocked with wrath.

Later, on the other side of the bamboo forest, Kazekiri sensed as the winds came to her. She turned to the other side and surprised as she saw the combined winds.

"Something happened over there." she complied.

"Over there?" Kuta turned his head to the other where Kazekiri was looking at and became extremely surprised, seeing an enormous wind. "What the hell!? A whirlwind?"

Yoku began to notice that Ikari was fighting the challenger, despite he didn't find the real challenger and encountered Yoji with Rika and Pana before Team Tsukida and Kazekiri came to their aid.

_"I guess Ikari found the challenger. I have to find out."_ he realized. "Sorry, I have unfinished business to do, so I have to go and find out. Later!"

He disappeared in the mist and it disappeared completely.

"Kazekiri-san, what's that whirlwind just now?" Tsukida asked.

"I sensed two people fighting against each other because of these winds I saw. One is a yokai of the extinct clan called the Tengu and the other... That must be Yume-san because I noticed her wind element just now," Kazekiri stated.

Yoji became surprised, however mostly shocked just now when the wind spirit mentioned that Yume was fighting Ikari all the sudden. And what's worse, Yoku went to the battlefield. Quickly, he summoned Ifrit with his chakrams, throwing them.

"Ifrit!"

It appeared before his master with a roar after was summoned.

"Whoa!" Kuta surprised.

"A demon with flames?" Seiichi noticed.

"Don't worry. That's Yoji-san's partner. He can transform his chakrams into a flame demon when he summoned Ifrit, despite not having a Kuchiyose no Jutsu." Pana stated.

"What a unique creature. I've never seen someone like him can summon this one with his weapons." Tsukida complied.

He turned at the wind spirit and said to her, "Kazekiri, please look after them. I'm going after him right now!"

Despite receiving confusion, she nodded at him and answered, "Yes, but please be careful."

"Got it," Yoji began to command Ifrit in a hurry. "Ifrit, find Yoku's scent. If you found him and if he was about to do something to Yume, stop him."

Ifrit nodded. Yoji and his partner left as they went after Yoku before anything happens to Yume.

On the battlefield, Yume began to use her Kazekiri one last time with her katana, combined with her wind element and Ikari's whirlwind. Ikari knew that something will happen and began to retreat hastily. However, when he was about to retreat, the autumn leaves surrounded him under Yume's orders.

"I won't let you retreat right now!" Yume shouted at the karasu tengu. She swung her katana, summoning the powerful slash at him.

As the slash came at him, he was defeated, showing the black feathers came out from his wings, and fell to the ground. With his defeat, he returned to his orignal form and stood up slowly. He panted as well. Yume put her katana on the back of her waist and began to kneel down on the ground although she was still injured with the wounds from Ikari's kenjutsu ougi.

"So this is the true power... as the Ally of the Byakugan." he realized. "To think that Kabuto Yakushi chose you as the challenger in order to complete this current game."

Yume noticed that Kabuto wanted her to complete the game after she was chosen by him. Ikari began to put his katana after receiving the defeat by Yume.

"But... something had bothered me. Yume Yukisaki, why do you hate him?" he implied to her, due he saw a former hatred that Yume showed it to him.

She realized that Ikari asked her about Kabuto and why she hate him so much. She knew that Ikari knew Kabuto because of Orochimaru and Yokami, his deceased master, chose him after he was the survior of the Tengu clan. She began to answer to him although she had no choice.

"I realized that you knew him because you were chosen by Orochimaru and Yokami after your clan was destroyed by Inyogakure. It's because I don't trust him at all even he've interest in me as the Ally of the Byakugan," she answered. "The reason I hate and would never trust Kabuto is he killed someone who was important to me three years ago..."

Ikari never knew that Kabuto as the host, who captured Yume and chose her as the challenger because he killed someone which was Kai Kurosaki three years ago. Yume began to pass out after defeating Ikari due to her wounds she received.

Before she passed out, she whispered to herself, "Kai-sensei... Your voice, it was you."

After her whipser to Kai, she lay on the ground, resting herself to recover from now on. Ikari knew that it was his loss, although he had no right to kill her right now after she became unconscious.

"Well, you defeated her, huh?"

Ikari noticed as he turned his head and saw Yoku came.

"Yoku, where have you been?"

"Well, long story. At least you found this challenger after all. I don't know what's going on, but I guess I'm getting credit from you," Yoku replied.

Ikari didn't say anything to his ice release partner despite he received his defeat and loss. Yoku realized as he saw Yume's forehead protector.

"A Konoha kunoichi, huh? Guess this is my lucky day. She's so beautiful to me just now, but it's too bad that I have to kill her," he laughed after he went towards the unconscious Yume. He summoned a katana made with ice on his right hand. "And of course, Netami and the others will be shocked when I tell them after I kill this kunoichi right now."

As he was about to kill Yume, Ifrit stopped Yoku as an ambush, going to claw him, much to his shock. As it was about to claw Yoku, the ice release user backed away from getting killed as his ice katana was destroyed by Ifrit. After dodging from the demon, Yoku became confused and enraged as Ifrit appeared in front of Yume, protecting her just then as it growled at Yoku and Ikari.

"The hell! What's going on?!" he implied with a anger shout.

"Thanks, Ifrit. Leave the rest to me."

Ifrit nodded as it returns to the chakrams form under its master's order. The chakrams just now stood with pointed spikes that attached on the ground. Yoku became shocked as Yoji came to save her just in time as he's holding her in his arms.

"I won't let you kill her. If you do, I'll burn you to death!"

After Yume's battle with Ikari had ended, now it's Yoji's turn to fight against after he went after him with Ifrit's help.


	27. Chapter 26: A Former Hatred's Truth

**Chapter 26: A Former Hatred's Truth**

After Yoji stopped Yoku from killing her as he came to her aid just in time, the ice release user became enraged with shock as he noticed that his flame release puppet leader came to save the challenger.

"You again? First, you were with those outsiders, now you're protecting her?" Yoku confused. "What's going on, Ryoji?! Answer me!"

Yoji, known as Ryoji, knew that he had to protect her at all costs as her protector. Suddenly, he saw wounds on her arms while her white sleeve on her right arm showed a fewer rips from the battle.

"Ikari, you did this to Yume, right?" he implied with a concern look.

Ikari noticed that their puppet leader as the challenger's protector came to rescue her from Yoku. After realizing, he began to answer to Yoji's question.

"Well, I'm impressed after seeing you came to her aid," complied Ikari. "Of course, this is your _mission_ that Kabuto Yakushi gave you before the beginning of this game."

Yoku became sudden shocked after hearing his partner answered to the eighth nightmare and puppet leader.

"What?! Ryoji's protecting this challenger?! That can't be right, Ikari," he protested, disagreeing the fact that Yoji's protecting Yume. "He's our puppet leader!"

"I'm telling the truth, Yoku. I noticed that Ryoji defeated Joyoku and Kuzuri from the second stage. After this challenger and Ryoji completed the third stage, Netami and Taidana told me what happened. This is my proof and the reason that our current host requested our puppet leader to be Yume Yukisaki's protector."

Yoku became ticked off and enraged with cold glare at Ryoji. He began to prepared himself to fight him.

"That does it! You're helping me right now, Ikari. I'm gonna teach him a lesson for betraying us!"

However despite helping Yoku to fight Yoji, the yokai moved back with a quick jump, showing his partner became confused with shock.

"I'm afraid I cannot help you right now. You're fighting with him on your own," Ikari stated.

"What?!"

Yoji began to notice those black feathers around them and wondered what happened before he came to the end of the battlefied. He began to ask to Ikari with curiously suspicion he had just now.

"Ikari, those black feathers... You're not human, are you?"

Yoku became shocked after noticing that his partner wasn't human.

"I may look like human to you, my partner, the other five nightmares. I see you noticed just now. You're right. I'm not human. I'm a karasu tengu of the Tengu clan. My clan doesn't exist anymore."

_"A yokai from the Tengu clan?" _thought Yoji as he was about to notice something familiar. _"That clan where Ikari came from was destroyed by the Yukisaki clan of Inyogakure thirteen years ago."_

"Before you'll be fighting Yoku without my help, this is my first time."

"First time?" Yoji replied as he wondered.

"This challenger you're protecting right now. She's the first and only one who survived my kenjutsu ougi unlike my former opponents I fought and killed."

After the yokai told Yoji about Yume, he realized with a surprised shock. "If that whirlwind I saw back then..."

"Yume Yukisaki defeated me before Yoku and you came here after she passed out." the karasu tengu replied.

Yoku became shocked when he noticed that Yume defeated Ikari before he came to his aid.

"You lost to this challenger? A Konoha kunoichi like her received her victory, huh? I guess you're right. This is my first time fighting my rival and puppet like him during this game," he scoffed after realizing that he have fight Yoji on his own.

"Yoku, before you begin fighting Ryoji, there's something I want to talk to him."

"If it's important, then hurry up. I want to fight him right now." he exclaimed.

"Something you want to talk?" the eighth nightmare asked with bewilderment.

Yoji began to think with tense after realizing Ikari wanted to talk him something important. He knew he had no choice, but to listening to the yokai of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"You and her are similiar; Having the hatred towards the same person. But she's different from you though you have a pitiful grudge towards him, this girl showed former hatred to me before we fought and after I received my defeat."

Much to the flame user's shocking surprise, he slowly moved his eyes at the unconscious Yume. Bewildered, he began to ask chaotic questions to Ikari.

"Hatred towards the same person...? What are you talking about? What did you mean Yume had a former hatred?"

"I understand you don't know about her since you first met her from the very first stage. To tell you the truth, I noticed something within her." Ikari explained to Yoji. "Before we started our battle, I saw a killing intent when I mentioned about Kabuto Yakushi to her."

_"Yume's killing intent?"_ he thought. "Did she said anything to you before she passed out when she defeated you?"

"Yes, she did told me about her relationship with our current host before she passed out due to the wounds on her arms," Ikari mentioned. "Kabuto Yakushi caused the Hyuga's ally a painful distrust because he killed someone who was important to her three years ago."

"Kabuto killed someone who was important to Yume three years ago?" He repeated the words from Ikari. Despite noticing, he became shocked as he remembered that Yume told him about her sensei who was killed three years ago.

Back then, Yoji asked her about the person who killed her and told her that she didn't have to answer his question.

"Who killed your sensei back then? Before you gave up your revenge?" he asked, curiously. With that, Yume didn't say anything to him. Yoji realized that Yume didn't answer to him and knew that she don't want to answer who killed her sensei. "It's okay. You don't have to answer, Yume."

After Ikari told Yoji, he became speechless, realizing that Kabuto killed Yume's sensei Kai Kurosaki three years.

_"Yume..."_ He looked at the unconscious Yume with difficult shock.

Before Yume met Kabuto, he, on the other hand, was kidnapped by him after defeating the Oto-nin and an Akuma Akumu under a guise of him. After realizing what happened to Yume's sensei, he let her recover herself from her battle with Ikari. He noticed as he saw the big lake on the other side. He picked up his chakrams and began to say something to Yoku.

"Yoku. Our battle will be at the big the lake somewhere near by."

"A big lake? That's our battle over there? What are you planning?" Yoku asked.

However, Yoji ignored his cold rival's question and answered, "Just follow me, I know where it is."

He went ahead to the lake, leaving Yoku became dismay with confusion while Ikari became silent, wondering what was Ryoji's plan for the next battle.

"Hey! Don't just go ahead without giving a reason!" the ice release user yelled.

"I believe we have to follow him, Yoku. You need to keep your cool down if you want to fight your rival," Ikari stated.

Yoku knew he's the next opponent although Yume already defeated his yokai partner. Something bothered him before he began to start ahead to the battlefield. He looked at the unconscious Yume and asked Ikari about her.

"Are you sure we're leaving this pretty challenger? What if anything happens to her?"

"Don't bother, I had already taken care of it. I told the Akuma Akumu not to hurt Yume Yukisaki before my beginning of my battle," he exclaimed to his parnter. "Let's go. We don't want Ryoji to wait impatiently."

"Yeah, yeah. I know that."

The two members of the seven members left and began to meet Ryoji at the big lake of the bamboo forest somewhere near by, leaving Yume to recover from her wounds. After they left, Kabuto came out from the bamboos and encountered the unconscious challenger. He knew something's not right after seeing Yume's protector in a silent way.

_"I need to find out why he told Ikari and Yoku to come to the lake as the battlefield. Yoji seems dead silent after realizing the truth about I killed Kai three years ago..."_

He began to use his scroll as he opened it. He bit his thumb and put blood to summon two corpses.

"Shikon no Jutsu." A scroll, showing two sections with his blood, appeared by turning into a puff of smoke and then two corpses appeared in front of Kabuto. The two had an image of the user as well after being summoned. "Go after Ikari and Yoku and stay hidden when Yoji's battle is going to start."

The two nodded and went after the yokai and the ice release user to the lake of the bamboo forests. Kabuto watched his two corpses going after the two nightmares as he turned his head at Yume. Seeing the wounds on her arms, he went towards his dearest challenger. Kneeling down, he gently grabbed her left arm, using with his shosen jutsu. While healing the unconscious Yume, he wondered that Yoji became silently enraged after realizing the truth of her former hatred.

_"Yoji, do you really hate me just because I killed Kai three years ago?"_

Meanwhile, Yoji stood on the big lake of the forests of bamboo. Right now, he was waiting for Yoku and Ikari after he left Yume to recover. His face, however, became silent with determination.

_"I promise... I'll protect Yume at all costs. I'll protect her from that bastard no matter what."_ he said to himself in his mind.

Yoji's battle against his icy rival with greed was ready to start after knowing the truth of Yume's former hatred with her relationship with Kabuto Yakushi.


	28. Chapter 27: A Battle of Rivals

**Chapter 27: A Battle of Rivals**

As Yoji stood on the lake, he noticed that Ikari and Yoku came. The ice release user noticed this lake will be the battle against his flame rival.

"How did you know this lake will be our battle, Leader-san?" he asked.

"Because you might freeze this entire lake, I'm fine with that if you're going to do it, Yoku." Yoji answered.

Yoku walked on the lake and began to perform his ice release technique. He used four hand seals: rat, tiger, hare, and dog. After performing the last hand seal, he placed them on the lake, kneeling on the water.

"Hyoton: Aisu Eiji!"

All the sudden, the water became frozen with ice as Yoku turned the lake into an icy arena. Ikari became silent, seeing the lake became frozen from Yoku's ice release technique. Yoji, on the other hand, jumped upward and then landed on the ice. He stood still, knowing that he had to skate on the cold lake during the battle.

"I hope you won't fall on purpose," Yoku teased Yoji.

"Let's start this already. I have to defeat you right here and now!" Yoji used his chakrams, preparing to battle.

As the rivalry battle, Ikari noticed as he saw Joyoku, Kuzuri, Netami, and Taidana came to him.

"What's going on?" Taidana asked Ikari.

"Well, Yoku is going to fight Ryoji soon." he said.

"What!" Netami shocked.

Kuzuri saw the frozen lake with shocking surprise. "Whoa, this lake became ice!"

"That must be Yoku's doing," Joyuku noticed the lake became icy from the ice release technique.

"All we have to is watch the battle between the two," Ikari stated. "We can't help him although we're defeated."

The four nightmares became shocked and then realized that Ikari became defeated as well.

"You can't be serious, Ikari-san? You're defeated, too?" implied Taidana with a short yawn.

"Yes, Yoku is the only one right now."

Netami became enraged after realizing there's nothing to do, but to watch Yoku preparing to fight against their puppet leader.

"Yoku, you better not lose to him in front of us," she said.

As the battle of the two rivals was finally started, Yoji began to throw his chakrams, waiting for his opponent. Seeing Yoku evaded his intial weapons, he began to use his fire release technique.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

He summoned the giant fireball from his mouth without using the hand seals. It went towards Yoku as it was about to engulf him, however despite that, the ice release user smirked. He began to use his both hands towards the fireball and froze it completely, much to Yoji's difficult shock.

"Is that all you got, Ryoji? Come on, you're the eighth nightmare! Show me what you got!" he provoked him.

Yoji became difficult when battling his rival with ice techniques. Still, he had to defeat him at all costs. Yoku began to kick the frozen fireball with a side kick and broke it into a thousand kinds of ninja tool, made of ice. The eighth nightmare noticed that Yoku made his attack and began to skate on the lake to avoid and evade the ice ninja tools. Skating in a quick speed, he noticed his chakrams came back to him and caught them in his both hands. He began to throw them again, but this time, his chakrams covered by flames.

"Honoo Ougi: Gōka no Chakuramu!"

The flame chakrams began to destroy Yoku's icy ninja tools complete in a fast speed. As the flames began to disappeared completely, the chakrams returned to its master as he caught with one hand. As he stopped skating and stood still, Yoji became tensed on fighting his rival with an ice release.

_"Damn it... I have to defeat him, but how?"_ he thought. _"If I can't defeat Yoku, I won't protect Yume. I can't give up on protecting her!"_

Yoji clenched his fist while grabbing his chakrams after destroying his rival's frozen, icy ninja tools of different kind. Yoku became impressed after seeing their puppet leader destroyed the ice ninja tools.

"Well, now that's what I'm talking about," Yoku commented with a gleeful laugh.

"Hey, Yoku! Quit making a comment on Ryoji! You really ticked me off!" Netami shouted at him.

Yoku became unamused after commenting on his rival for destroying his ice ninja tools. He ignored Netami's nagging and turned at Yoji with a devious jealous look on his face, showing him bewilderment. Yoji began to wonder why he showed him a jealous look. Despite seeing that face he saw, he started his next move.

"Before you make your next move, I want to know why." he said with a devious smirk.

Yoji became questionable and suspicious towards him after noticing that Yoku wanted to know something. He began to ask him, "What are you talking about?"

"Huh? You don't know? I'm talking about the cute challenger from Konohagakure you're protecting," he answered to the unreasonable rival of flames. Yoji became shocked when Yoku mentioned Yume all the sudden. He became enraged, showing his glare at Yoku. "Man, what a angry face you got just now. Don't tell me that Konoha kunoichi is important to you, Ryoji. It makes me jealous."

"Why's that?" he implied.

"_Why?_ You heard Ikari said to you after you came to rescue the challenger back then. Kabuto made you as her protector when the game already begun!" Yoku showed his enraged face after realizing that Ryoji was now a traitor for protecting Yume. "You may be the puppet leader of the seven nightmares, but I won't let you protect her! I'll give you a _nice _battle until this victory is mine!"

He summoned five ice clones in his image with his ice technique. The five ice clones attacked Yoji as he began to use his chakrams once again. He dodged the ice clones' attacks while skating. He threw his signature weapons with his Goka no Chakuramu again. Destroying Yoku's ice clones, he caught his chakrams and noticed that the real one went towards him with a surprise attack. Yoji tried to block the attacks from his rival, but only realized that he fell when he lost his balance while skating during the battle.

After losing his balance, Yoku summoned his ice katana and swung at Yoji as he was about to began to end the battle by killing him. However, his chakrams transformed into Ifrit and it stopped Yoku from killing its master. Yoku got attacked by Ifrit as his ice katana was destoryed when it began to claw him. The ice release user went backward after dodging Yoji's flame demon and became ticked off.

Ifrit growled Yoku mercilessly after seeing him trying to kill its master while in the weapon form.

"Don't get in my way, you monster!"

Yoku began to use his ultimate ice release technique on Yoji and Ifrit with a specific hand seal. His hand seal required a left hand left opened which he placed his right hand which was closed like a fist on the open hand.

_"This hand seal, what is this?"_ Yoji thought as he saw Yoku's special hand seal.

"Hyoton..." While performing a special technique, a mist appeared around him and went towards Yoji and Ifrit, much to their confusion. All the sudden, Yoku made the mist became ice glaciers, imprisioning them. "Daiyamondo Dasuto!"

Yoji and his partner became shocked as they became imprisoned inside the ice glaciers. While being trapped, the eighth nightmare began to notice that he cannot melt those glaciers with his flames when using them on his right hand.

"This isn't good..."

Outside after Yoku imprisoned them with his Daiyamondo Dasuto, he began to laugh with cold and grim maddness. The five nightmare shinobi became shockly surprised never knew, seeing the puppet leader's rival imprisoned him. Ikari didn't reacted, despite he didn't became surprised after seeing Yoku imprisoned Yoji.

"I don't believe it..." surprised Taidana with shocked.

"Yoku froze them," Kuzuri replied as he became scared, seeing Yoku laughed with wild.

Inside the glaciers, Yoji became speechless after being imprisoned along with Ifrit.

"Damn it..." he cursed to himself as he dropped down on his knees and punched on the icy ground with his right fist. Ifrit tried to cheer Yoji up as he nuzzled him. In return, the flame shinobi from Inyogakure patted it. "Thanks, Ifrit, but I don't think I feel better right now."

He knew that he can't defeat Yoku in order to complete the sixth stage and trying to protect Yume. He clenched his right hand tightly after he was now trapped inside the ice glaciers. He began to yell with chaotic rage and pain while shutting his green eyes.

"I lost. I lost to Yoku and I..."

Ifrit began to console Yoji for not giving up on protecting Yume. Realizing what his flame demon saying to him, he became surprisely shocked as Ifrit told him not to give up so easily.

"Don't give up on protecting Yume? Ifrit..." Yoji replied.

It nodded to him. Yoji began to realize that he got an idea and knew he haven't use his flame fighting style since he was captured by Otogakure.

"Ifrit, I need your help. I haven't use that technique for three years, but I know I can do this even destroying those ice glaciers."

Ifrit agreed with him and joined him to prepared to the collabortation jutsu from Inyogakure. Their flame chakra resonated each other, combining a hellfire chakram.

Meanwhile, Yoku began to ready to make a final attack on Yoji and Ifrit after imprisoning them with his ultimate ice release technique.

"Now for the finale. This victory is all mine! Don't worry, Leader-san, I'll take a good care of the beautiful challenger while you're gone," As he was about to snap his fingers, he felt something immersed as he sensed two powerful chakra. "What the hell? What is this chakra?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Kuzuri commented after noticing the combined hellfire chakra.

Inside the glaciers, Yoji and Ifrit prepared to use the collaboration jutsu using their chakra.

"Chakra no Kyomei!"

Resonating their chakra, the flames of hellfire began to appear everywhere on the ice glaciers, melting them completely. The flames also began to engulf Yoji and Ifrit. The flames kept appearing on the glaciers even on the frozen lake. The six nightmares became shocked, seeing the ice melted quickly.

"What's going on?" Netami shocked, seeing the frozen lake and the ice glaciers became melting from the hellfire flames.

The frozen lake became water and Yoku stood still on the water after realizing the ice was melted by Yoji's assumed flames.

_"These flames... He melted the ice glaciers and the lake as well. I can't believe this!"_ he thought as he became upset. _"What's next? I can't let him get away with this!"_

He looked around, searching for Yoji and his demon partner after seeing the steam mist. He kept looking and still no sign of the two opponents.

"Hey! Where are you! Come out already!" Yoku shouted as he became impatiently.

"I'm right here in front of you, Yoku..." Yoji replied.

The steam mist began to disappear completely and Yoku, after being impatient, became shocked as he saw something horrified. The five nightmares noticed Yoku's face became staggered and saw Yoji became different.

"What the hell!" Netami became shocked as she saw Yoji after the flames melted the icy lake. "What is this?!"

"Leader-san... He became a monster!" Kuzuri became frightened.

_"What is the meaning of this? What is he?"_ Ikari thought as he never seen their puppet leader in a different appearance.

Yoji, after using Chakra no Kyomei and fused with Ifrit, became a hellfire demon. His appearance became different as well. His red spiky hair was covered with flames even his black attire. For special reasons, Yoji had two black horns on his head and claws from his hands which, thus becoming as the hellfire demon.

"Flames covered my body and having two black horns on my head and claws from my hands after I fused with Ifrit... Those two are the reasons I became a hellfire demon," As he became the demon of hellfire after fusing with Ifrit, he showed resentment towards his greedy cold rival. "Yoku... If you dare to touch Yume after trying to kill me... I'll burn you to death!"

As Yoji became the hellfire demon after his flames melted the icy lake, the climax of the battle of rivals was yet to be revealed.


	29. Chapter 28: Yoji the Hellfire Demon

This chapter is about the past about Yoji who received his power to become a hellfire demon after he became the puppter leader and the eighth nightmare three years ago and his battle with a climax against Yoku.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 28: Yoji the Hellfire Demon<strong>

After Yoji used his Chakra no Kyomei with Ifrit and became a demon of hellfire, he prepared to fight Yoku once again and end the battle soon as possible. The six nightmares became extremely awe, seeing their puppet leader became a monster with flames.

Meanwhile, Kabuto noticed that Yoji became a hellfire demon after he fused with Ifrit, resonating their chakra. Right now, he was now carrying the unconscious Yume in his arms after he healed her wounds from her battle against Ikari, the yokai of the Tengu clan and watched the battle of the two rivals while he was in the the other side near by the lake that was frozen until Yoji melted Yoku's ice technique.

_"Well, that was special. Seeing him become a monster with flames," _he surprisingly realized with a smirk. _"It's been a while since I saw him in that form."_

Three years ago, when Yoji, as Ryoji, became the eighth nightmare of Megami's nightmare shinobi and the puppet leader after he was captured by the Otogakure, Orochimaru requested him and the six nightmares to kill the test subjects, who escaped from the Otogakure.

"I have test subjects who just escaped from the prisons. I want you to kill them for opposing against me."

"Understood," Ikari replied.

"We'll take care everything, Orochimaru-sama," said Netami with a devious smile on her face.

"Kabuto will help you for searching the fleeing test subjects." Orochimaru complied to the six nightmares.

While the six nightmares nodded in agreement with Orochimaru and Kabuto, Ryoji leaned on the wall, watching with distrust after realizing he had to work with the Snake Sannin's assistant on finding the rebel test subjects and kill them.

"Where are those those traitors, Orochimaru-sama?" Ikari asked.

"They escaped to Megami's created land in order to get out from the painful nightmares of being test subjects. Of course, they're challengers right now," explained the Snake Sannin. "You're their opponents after all. Kill them."

"You got it," Yoku answered his smooth reply. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

At the Akumu no Kuni, the land created by Megami, Ryoji was partnered with Kabuto as they came to the bamboo forest while the six nightmares went in different stages. Netami and Joyoku went to the third stage. Kuzuri and Taidana went to the second stage and Ikari and Yoku went to the fifth stage.

Ryoji kept walking as he ignored his partner, despite being partnered with him under Orochimaru's orders. Kabuto knew that the puppet leader didn't trust him at all after he became his partner.

"We will find them if we work together, Ryoji." he convinced while adjusting his black glasses.

"I don't need your help." he replied as he disagreed with him.

The medical-nin noticed the boy's distrusted manners towards him and knew he won't forgive him for what he did back then.

"I see. You still hate me, do you? I understand. After all what happened, you're still one of the her nightmares." he stated. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama ordered us to find the test subjects, who are against him."

The red-haired boy turned his head at the medical-nin, showing pitiful resentment.

"I know that. But I'll find them by myself, I told you already... I don't need your help," he told him one last time before he leaving him behind.

Kabuto realized he left already after telling him that he didn't want his help. He shook his head after wondering what will happen to the puppet leader.

_"If you really don't need my help, can you handle them on your own? Those test subjects are stronger because of their cursed seals, given from Orochimaru-sama."_ he complied, stating that Ryoji can't kill the traitors so easily.

While the puppet leader kept finding them who escaped, Kabuto already found and killed them quickly. The traitors were dead, killed by Orochimaru's assistant, laying on the ground and showing no blood after being killed.

He began to wonder if Ryoji found the other traitors and killed them for good.

"I better make sure if he's all right while fighting against those traitors," he mentioned.

As he began to find him, he heard the agony scream from the east all the sudden. After noticing that something happened, he went to the east quickly. Rushing to see what just happened, he became shockly surprised when he saw something awe. Something Kabuto saw was Yoji in a different form. His body was covered with flames, his hands had black claws, and two horns on his blood-haired head. Right now, Yoji became a hellfire demon for the very first time.

The test subjects in their cursed seal markings or in the second level form became frighten with fear after seeing Ryoji became a monster with flames around his body.

"What the hell are you!?"

"Stay away!"

The prisoners with their cursed seals begged Ryoji not to kill them, but he didn't listen. He began to use his ultimate flame technique while in a hellfire demon form, Jigoku no Kaen.

He placed his black-clawed hands on the ground, summoning the flames of hell. Flames with hell went towards the fewer prisoners and burned them to death ruthlessly. Their bodies were burned with ashes from the flames and Yoji panted, beginning to turn back to his normal form and his chakrams appeared on the ground beside him. After turning back to normal, he began to pass out as his body dropped down to the ground.

Kabuto came towards the unconscious puppet and noticed that Ryoji used all his chakra. After seeing him as a hellfire demon, he became surprised and impressed.

He took Ryoji with him back to the reality after they finished killing the traitors with their cursed seals. Returning to Otogakure, the eighth nightmare became recovered from becoming the hellfire demon. The day after Yoji, the puppet leader of the six nightmares, and Kabuto killed the traitors with cursed seals, he trained with his demon partner Ifrit in the mountains of the Akumu no Kuni, trying to control his hellfire demon form because of his Chakra no Kyomei for the very first time back then. Focusing his chakra while resonating with Ifrit, he finally became the hellfire demon all by himself without any counters. He returned to his normal form and finished his training while Ifrit returned his orignal form: the chakrams. He caught them and left the nightmare land.

As he returned, he began to walk in the hallway in one of Orochimaru's hideouts in Otogakure where he created the nightmare game, the Seven Stages of Nightmares. Along the way, he noticed as he saw Kabuto in front of him and stopped walking.

"How's your training?" he asked. "I believe you're trying to control your chakra while in that form just like back then."

"What do you want?" Ryoji replied with irritation.

"Well, after you killed the traitors with this form you used for the very first time, Orochimaru-sama seem interested in you and your flame demon," he stated to Ryoji. "It'll be best to show him your special form if you would come with me, Ryoji."

The puppet leader knew that Orochimaru had interest in him, but he already made his mind on using his chakra resonance with Ifrit.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested..." he denied the offer as he walked past him.

"Before you leave, can you tell me why?"

He stopped once again and noticed that Kabuto asked him why.

"I already controlled that form by fusing with Ifrit. I won't use that form ever again because I made up my mind," he answered. "Having flames around my body, black claws I have on my hands, and black horns on my head... If I use that in front of everyone, they'll think that I'm a monster. A demon with hellfire..."

After remembering the past about Yoji becoming the hellfire demon, Kabuto knew that he changed his mind in order to defeat Yoku.

_"That form you won't use, you changed your mind, do you Yoji?"_

Yoji, in his hellfire demon form after fusing with Ifrit while using his chakra no kyomei, prepared himself as he went towards Yoku in a quick speed. The ice release user became shocked and quickly dodged the attack, only to let his rival attacked him with his black claws. The hellfire shinobi scratched the right arm and Yoku felt pain. He backed away from Yoji and became enraged. The scratch from his right arm gave him burning pain.

"What the hell are you, Ryoji? Those flames, black claws and horns you have. Are you some kind of monster?!" he asked with a raging confusion.

"A monster, huh? I may be, but I used my chakra resonating with Ifrit's in order to become a hellfire demon," Yoji replied. "This form gives me the power to burn anything even your ice techniques."

The demon went towards Yoku with a quick again, but this time, he dodged and blocked Yoji's attacks. He began to use and summon six ice clones while evading the attacks. The ice clones surrounded Yoji in a circle. However, as they charged at him, the fiery demon attacked with his claws and kicks. The claws and kicks with flames burned Yoku's ice clones, showing the ice release user shock.

Shocking to see his rival burned the ice clones completely, he began to use his ultimate ice release technique Daiyamondo Dasuto again.

"Hyoton: Daiyamondo Dasut—"

However, Yoji stopped Yoku from using the ultimate technique with his black claws.

"You can't freeze me, Yoku. It's useless! This battle ends here!" he exclaimed to his icy rival. He prepared his final attack Yoku after stopping him from using Daiyamondo Dasto. "Hissatsu! Jigoku no Kaen!"

His hands bathed with hellfire and the flames surrounds him and Yoku in a circle. Yoku became bewilderment as Yoji began to do something awe after surrounded by his flames. All the sudden, flames engulfed the two rivals completely, showing the other nightmares became shockly awe.

"Yoku!" Netami yelled.

"No way..." Taidana shocked, seeing their puppet leader and Yoku engulfed by the flames of hell.

Kuzuri became frighten and scared as he quickly covered his eyes.

Kabuto became surprised and began to ponder if Yoji survived the flames and Yoku became burned with ashes just like three years ago.

_"Yoji, you're going to burn Yoku into ashes, are you? Just like you did back then."_

Meanwhile on the other side of the bamboo forest, Kazekiri used her winds to gather maple leaves. Gathering them, the spirit of the wind summoned a Japanese two-storeyed house, similiar to Yamato's Mokuton. After Kazekiri summoned it, they entered. Seiichi took Rika to a room, letting her to recover from Yoku's icy mist. Pana became worried after seeing her. Kuta patted her shoulder, cheering her up.

"Don't worry. Rika-chan will be better as soon as she wakes up." said Kuta.

"Kuta," Pana replied, realizing she doesn't need to worry about. "Thanks."

After thanking her hot-blooded, upbeat childhood friend, the tomboyish kunoichi began to ponder about Yoji. Back then, she heard that the ice release user knew him except that he said a different Ryoji after they encountered him when the icy mist appeared. She looked at the window with a concern look on her face.

_"Ryoji? Something's not right. How did he know him? Yoji-san, tell me. What's going on?"_

Later on the battle of the two rivals, the hellfire became powerful, but fearful on the lake that was frozen. No way flames like that could appear on water ever. The five nightmares watched and waited with disquiet after seeing Yoji and Yoku were swallowed by those immersed flames. Suddenly, the flames began to fade away, showing steam on the lake.

The five nightmares noticed that they disappeared completely and saw the two left standing. Kabuto realized that Yoji didn't burn Yoku completely after the flames of hell engulfed them. Yoji returned to his orignal human form as his flames, black claws and horns began to disappear. Ifrit appeared behind its master with a loud and tremendous roar.

Netami became shocked that he was alive, but she wondered about Yoku. She looked at the icy shinobi, only to see something horrified. Taidana noticed that his partner became shocked after seeing Yoku.

"Hey, what's wrong, Netami?" he asked.

"Yoku... What happened to you? You're..." Netami became speechless.

Taidana looked at Yoku as well and became shocked as well.

"Guys..." he called Ikari, Joyoku, and Kuzuri.

The three heard Taidana and turned at him. He slowly pointed with his finger to them, showing Yoku. The three became awe as they saw Yoku. What's horrifying was Yoku's body. His black sleeveless shirt wasn't shown, assumably that it was destroyed from the hell flames. His shinobi sandals weren't shown as well. On his body, there were several burns, appearing on his back, chest, lower abdomen, both arms and hands, and neck. His face even had fewer burns.

"Yoku!" Joyoku shocked, gasping with fear.

"His body, it's terrible!" Kuzuri became scared.

Yoku panted and felt painful after receiving burns from the battle. Feeling in burning pain, he knelt down on the water, showing defeat.

Yoji sighed in relief as he finally defeated Yoku. _"I did it."  
><em>

Kabuto realized his dearest challenger had completed six stages and she must complete the final and last stage. He looked at the unconscious Yume with delightful.

_"Six stages are completed. The final stage..." _he thought with a sly grin on his face. _"awaits you, my dearest Yume."_


	30. Chapter 29: Don't Call Me That Name

This chapter is about Yoji's desicion and he will not use the name Ryoji given by Megami.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 29: Don't Call Me That Name<strong>

At the resting place of the Inyo shinobi, Pana looked after Rika, sitting on a stool beside her. While watching her, Rika slowly opened her eyes and turned her head, seeing Pana with surprise.

"Pana..." she said after regaining her consciousness. "What happened?"

"You passed out from the icy mist," she answered to Rika.

The young ninja tool kunoichi noticed that he wasn't with Pana just now as stood up slowly after recovering herself.

"Where's Yoji-san?" she asked.

Pana hesitated and reluctantly answered to her friend, "He went after that guy we encountered."

"You mean that ice release user?" Pana nodded. Rika saw her friend's face became concerned and realized what she was thinking. "Pana, you're thinking about Yoji-san, right?"

Pana's eyes became surprised when Rika implied to her. "Rika, how did you know?"

"Well... That person we encountered just somehow called him Ryoji. I was confused," she explained to Pana. "I kept wondering why before I passed out."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as well," Pana agreed. "When he comes back, let's ask him about that."

"Right." Rika replied, nodding her head to her friend and partner.

Meanwhile at the lake of the bamboo forest, Yoji stood victory after defeating his icy and cold rival and patted Ifrit on its head.

"We did it, Ifrit. We defeated Yoku," said Yoji with a content smile. "You can return to your orignal form."

The demon nodded to its master and returned to the orignal weapon form. Yoji caught his chakrams and placed them on his waist. All the sudden, he sensed something amiss, yet dark rage.

_"This sensation,"_ Yoji looked at his rival, noticing something shocking. The aura around Yoku he just saw was true and complete darkness._ "Don't tell me!"_

Yoku, who was now kneeling on the water, showed his enraged face to him. The cold shinobi stood up and summoned a ice katana, only its blade became dark cold.

"You think you're better than anyone else, huh?" he ranted. He went quickly towards him, much to Yoji's shock. "Well, I won't let you get away with that!"

The flame shinobi tried to back away and dodged the attacks with the dark ice katana. Yoku's eyes became rage with madness while using his darkness. Like Yori Yukisaki, Yoku and the six nightmares had true darkness as well when having a relationship with Megami, the one who gave darkness. The six nightmares shockly surprised after seeing the burnly wounded Yoku used his true darkness.

"I thought Yoku lost to Leader-san. Why he's mad just now?" Kuzuri became simply confused.

"You don't understand, Kuzuri... He and Ryoji are always been rivals for three years. That's his true nature when he used his true darkness, a cold greedy madness," Netami explained about Yoku's true darkness.

"If this get anything worse, we need to stop him!" Taidana stated, preparing to summon a ninja animal.

"Don't be stupid! You want to get killed by that ice freak?!" she yelled at the summoning shinobi, "It's useless, no matter what you try to stop him!"

"Netami..." said Joyoku, seeing her angry with shockly surprise.

"So we just sit here and do nothing, but to watch him go wild?" Taidana implied.

"What else we could do then?" she replied bitterly as she looked away from Taidana and the other five.

While the six nightmares kept watching the endless battle, the madness ice release user kept attacking Yoji, blocking the attacks and the katana.

"What's wrong?! Why are you holding back?! Come on and fight me!"

"Give it up, Yoku. I already defeated you," Yoji exclaimed.

"So what?! I don't care I lost this battle! Traitor or not, your life ends here!"

Yoku, with his true darkness, backed away and prepared his ultimate technique Daiyamondo Dasuto. However, Kabuto's two corpses with his image ambushed him and used chakra no mesu the icy shinobi, making him immobile.

"What?!"

The two corpses attacked Yoku in a quick speed, making his true darkness disapppear, and restrained his both arms. The five nightmares shockly surprised that Yoku's true darkness was gone instantly.

"I don't think I accept rematch for this game."

Kabuto appeared in front of the restrained Yoku and Yoji while carrying the unconscious Yume with him. Yoji became shocked when he saw her, being carried by the host himself.

"Yume!"

"Don't worry, I didn't do anything harm on her. I only healed her wounds from the previous battle before you saved her from your rival."

"What?! You can't do that! You're the host! You shouldn't heal that girl!" Yoku protested after realizing that Kabuto healed the challenger.

Kabuto displeased with Yoku and commanded his two corpses to hit his received burns, giving intense pain and agony.

"I have the right to heal her, Yoku. I don't want her to continue with those wounds she received from Ikari," he exclaimed. "After all, I won't forgive you for commenting my dearest Yume before you tried to kill her."

Netami became sudden shocked when Kabuto addressed the unconscious challenger _his dearest_.

"Hey, Kabuto! Why did you called that challenger _your dearest_?! You don't even know her!"

"Actually, I do know about her even I first met her back then, Netami." He corrected the ninja tool kunoichi.

"Eh?! What's the meaning of this then?!"

"Well, I see you want to know. I just wanted the Hyuga clan's ally like her to complete the game, that's all."

"Complete the game?" Taidana confused.

"It's because he didn't want the same thing just like three years ago before Orochimaru discarded the game he created for us and Megami-sama," Ikari explained to Netami, Taidana, Joyoku, and Kuzuri. "In addition for this game, he even chose Ryoji to protect the current challenger as his _secret mission_."

"So that's mean... Ryoji-kun wasn't here before we went separate ways with our partners," Joyoku stated.

"That's not fair! If he's protecting that girl, he's our traitor!" Netami protested.

"Well, that's true. However, he did told me that he had enough killing the challengers three years ago, so I gave a request after I chose my dearest Yume." he explained. "Now that the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares are now gathered right now, it's best to give you results."

"Results? I never knew that we can hear results for the first time." Kuzuri confused.

"She completed six stages by defeating two stronger Akuma Akumu and seven opponents."

"Seven opponents? Wait, there's someone other than us?" Taidana realized.

"Yes. Orochimaru-sama chose an opponent for her for the previous stage, despite that he gave up using the game. The person he chose, of course, was Sasuke-kun." Kabuto stated.

The six nightmares and the puppet leader became suddenly shocked when Orochimaru chose Sasuke, the current vessel, as Yume's opponent of the fifth stage.

"If he's Yume's opponent, then she defeated him?" the puppet leader implied, wondering about the fifth stage.

"She didn't defeat him. Sasuke-kun became not interested on fighting her, despite being her opponent. The reason that he was chosen was because Orochimaru-sama made the training _special_." he stated. "Aside from the previous stage, Yume realized this because he told her that reason."

Kabuto went towards Yoji and gave the unconscious Yume. The flame shinobi carried her without hesitant despite still having distrust towards him.

"Now she completed this stage, I believe you have to wait. Unlike the five stages, the door won't appear in this stage." he explained to Yoji. "Look after her from now on. However for the final stage, she must do this alone."

Yoji shockly surprised that Yume had to complete the final stage on her own without the support and protection from him.

"I see... My job is finished, huh?" he implied.

"Yes, but have faith in her. She'll be fine."

The puppet leader wondered about Yume's friends from Inyogakure and a promise from Rika and Pana. A promise to see his two shisho again, Seirin and Shaolin.

_"Seirin-shisho, Shaolin-shisho."_

"Hey, how about you could come with us once we find Yume and the others? When we'll return to Inyo, you'll see them again," she explained to him.

Yoji became surprised and didn't realize that he might come with Yume and her friends to return to Inyo even to see his two masters. However, he became unsure.

"Are you really sure? That I might see Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho again?"

"Of course, you're the Inyo shinobi after all." Rika answered.

Remembering the daughter of his ninja tool master's words back then, he knew that he wanted to see them again after hearing surprising news from Yume.

He began to ask the current host about the game, "Hey, what happens if she completes the game?

Kabuto noticed that Yoji wanted to know about Yume and replied to him, "Yume will be free after completing the last stage. Her true feelings will return to her as well."

The eighth nightmare shockly surprised that Yume will be free after completing the Seven Stages. He became content after realizing and began to say something, "I see... In that case, I'm going with her."

The host and the six nightmares became extreme shocked after hearing the puppet leader and eighth nightmare that he's going with her once the game is completed.

"Hey! What's the big deal, Ryoji?! First Kabuto made you protect the challenger, now you're leaving with her!" Yoku yelled while still being restrained by the two corpses. "You can't be serious!"

"I am serious. Besides, I already made my desicion," he exclaimed. "By the way, don't call me Ryoji anymore. That name isn't my real name."

"What?!" Yoku, Netami, Kuzuri, Taidana, and Joyoku shocked altogether. Ikari noticed that Ryoji wasn't the real name after learning the truth.

"If that name Ryoji wasn't your true name, then who are you?" Ikari implied.

Yoji turned at Ikari and began to say his real name he would never forget.

"My name is Yoji, got it memorized?"

After introducing his real name, he began to turn his back on his former nightmare shinobi. However, before Yoji was to leave, Netami became enraged and quickly summon her Akuma Akumu.

"You traitor!"

She summoned six of them and commanded them to attack Yoji while carrying. He noticed without looking back and suddenly summon something unforeseen. All the sudden, he summoned a black dragon and white dragon without saying the technique or using hand seals. Those dragons were summoned, using the two technique of Inyogakure: Hikariton: Hikari Ryu no Jutsu and Yamiton: Yami Ryu no Jutsu. The two yin-yang dragons destroyed Netami's Akuma Akumu completely and then they disappeared together.

Netami became speechless after seeing the two dragons in two different colors. "What?!"

"Two dragons?!" said Taidana.

Not just only the five nightmares became speechless, the yokai of the Tengu clan showed shocked after seeing the two techniques of Inyogakure.

Yoku noticed his partner's face became impact and began to ask him hastily, "Hey, what's wrong, Ikari? This isn't like you just now!"

Ikari became silent after seeing those light and dark techniques Yoji used and ignored his icy restrained partner's question.

The flame shinobi turned his head at the silent samurai yokai and said, "I understand how you feel, Ikari. I know you don't need my pity. You hate Inyogakure for killing your clansmen thirteen years ago."

The Tengu yokai realized that Yoji complied to him that he don't want the former puppet leader's and the Inyogakure's pity because of the destruction of his extinct clan.

"Despite being a missing-nin from the village where I come from, Inyogakure is my home because I can't betray myself as a shinobi and those who are important to me. When I was a kid I was an orphan before I became a shinobi. Back then, I blamed the war because my parents were killed. After discovering my special element while being taken care by the shinobi of Inyo, I realized that I have to use this to protect others. That's why I made that desicion, to return back to Inyogakure. But if you want to kill me as your traitorous puppet leader, then I won't hold back easily."

The flame shinobi of Inyogakure left Kabuto and his six former nightmares, taking the unconscious Yume with him as he went back to her two comrades, Team Tsukida and Kazekiri.

On the other hand, the five nightmares realized the true nature of Ikari and became still speechless just like Yoji summoned the yin-yang dragons technique once.

"Ikari-san... You okay?" Taidana asked as he was now worried, yet surprisingly shock.

"I don't want your sympathy after you knew the truth about myself," he answered, showing wrath and walked away from them.

Netami noticed that he was about to leave and became bewilderment that he doesn't want the sympathy. She quickly ran towards him before he was to leave.

"Hey! Don't leave without giving us a**—**!"

Cutting the ninja tool kunoichi's words, Ikari showed his true form as a yokai, his raven-like wings. Netami stopped running and accidentally fall back on the ground, making herself sit and became awe. The restrained ice release user, the beautiful lust kunoichi, the big-boned shinobi, and the ninja animal summoning sloth shinobi became surprised, but were shocked at most.

"Ikari... you're really a yokai," Joyoku commented.

"You're like a crow!" Kuzuri shocked as his black eyes widen with shock.

"Ikari... You're... not human?" Yoku implied to him after he realized that his samurai partner wasn't kidding before his battle against Yoji.

Before the raven yokai was about to leave by flight, he said something to his nightmare shinobi. "I may be human... However, I'm still a yokai. With these black wings... I'm an angel of death."

Gaving his words about himself very cryptically, he took flight and then he quickly disappeared where he left his dark feathers falling down from the sky like a dark rain.

Kabuto watched the rain with black feathers of a raven with a devious grin although he knew about Ikari thirteen years ago after the destruction of the Tengu clan.

_"Megami's right,"_ he realized. _"This man is the angel of death."_

Somewhere at the Inyo's resting hideout, Megami came to the hideout with her white cloak this time after watching Yume's battle against Sasuke and the Ally of the Byakugan destroyed her deceased Akuma Akumu in a form of a large bird. She also sensed that Yori's cousin Tsukida and his teammates after sensing Rika and Pana.

"Tsukida-sama. I didn't know you're there as well. Don't worry, I'll leave a secret surprise for you once you'll find out soon."

A strange Akuma Akumu she already summoned just now was now behind her. Danger confronted the Yume Retrieval Team and Kazekiri, but will Yoji make it in time before it's too late?


	31. Chapter 30: I'll Protect You

**Chapter 30: I'll Protect You**

After Yoji's battle against Yoku and his determination to go with Yume once she completed the nightmare game, he walked slowly while carrying the Ally of the Byakugan in his arms. However, after Ikari told him about the current challenger, he became speechless.

Suddenly, the kunoichi slowly opened her white eyes and found herself being carried by Yoji.

"Yoji-san..."

The flame shinobi became surprised that Yume finally recovered after the battle with the yokai before he went to save her.

"Don't worry, I'll put you down," he complied to her.

After answering to the current challenger, he put her down and Yume stood up perfectly, only almost lose her balance. Yoji caught her quickly.

"I'm okay. Thank you," she stated. However, she suddenly saw wounds on her arms disappear after she became unconscious. All she remembered was that she defeated Ikari with the help of her comrades from Konoha and even Kai as well. "My arms... They're healed."

The shinobi of flames with hellfire answered to her, "Kabuto healed you... after your battle against Ikari."

Yume began to suddenly shocked after she passed out from her battle against Ikari. She became disquiet after hearing that name.

"I understand... You really hate him," he said to her.

The current challenger became shockly surprised when her protector told her about Kabuto. Realizing, she began to ask him about Kabuto, "Yoji-san, how did you know?"

The flame shinobi began to answer to her question, after all he already realize the truth about her former hatred.

"Ikari told me about your former hatred. Kabuto killed Kai three years ago, right?"

Her white eyes became painful with sorrow. Remembering her own nightmare, of course, she knew that she felt like she might being taken by Kabuto. She shuts her white camellias eyes and showed her painful tears after realizing everything. She knelt on the ground as it was like that she's being used by the host as a puppet challenger.

"I'm scared..." Yume replied to her protector with a painful confession. Yoji became sudden shocked when Musashi's daughter showed painful and sadness tears after realizing why. "It's so hard... to think of him using me as a challenger. I have to complete this game, but I can't stop crying while thinking of him."

All the sudden, Yoji embraced her gently and realized why Kabuto used her because of this former hatred, showing her surprise.

"Yoji-san..."

"I'll protect you," he answered while embracing the tearful Ally of the Byakugan. "He told me I can't protect you on the last stage. But still, I made my mind up. I'll return with you, Rika, Pana, and the others once this game's complete. That's why I'm going with you. I'll protect you from anyone even Kabuto no matter what. I'd never trust him ever again even using you as the challenger."

Realizing that Yoji told her true determination, Yume began to cry in pain after losing someone important. Of course, Kai Kurosaki... the person she always remember and never forget.

"Don't cry. I know it's hard to lose someone important. But you're the Hyuga clan's ally, right? A kunoichi like you shouldn't show painful tears," he wiped her white eyes with his black fingerless glove on his right hand.

"Yoji-san."

"We're still in the sixth stage. According to Kabuto, the door for this stage won't show up like the other stages. Still, I have to look after you."

After reuniting with Yoji, she noticed that if Rika and Pana were with him.

"Where's Rika and Pana?" she asked.

"Don't worry, Kazekiri's looking after the along with Tsukida and his teammates."

"I see..."

Yume realized that Yori was still somewhere in the Akumu no Kuni as she became worried about him. Yoji noticed.

"What's wrong, Yume?"

"Yori..." she realized after wiping her tears from her eyes. "Where is he? I hope he's okay."

_"Yori?"_ Yoji thought after listening to Yume.

Suddenly a voice called the two, "Yoji, Yume-san! You're okay!"

They heard the familiar voice and saw Kazekiri, coming towards them.

"Kazekiri-san," Yume noticed.

"We need your help! There's a strange monster we suddenly met." the wind spirit warned.

"A strange monster? Don't tell me! Another Akuma Akumu!?" Yoji answered.

"I don't know why. It somehow have nine seals on its cloak," she explained. "But we don't have much time, we have to stop that Akuma Akumu before it'll hurt the others!"

The Ally of the Byakugan and the flame shinobi became shocked as this strange Akuma Akumu may hurt Tsukida and the others. They began to follow Kazekiri to their resting hideout. Coming here, Yume and Yoji saw with extreme shock as this powerful shadow of nightmares almost hurt Tsukida and the others, standing still very weak.

"Everyone!" the Ally cried.

"Yume!" called Rika and Pana altogether.

"Yume-san, be careful," Tsukida warned. "This one's very dangerous..."

All the sudden, the mystery Akuma Akumu with nine seals on its cloak turned at Yume, of course she's the nightmare game's current challenger. All the sudden, something happened when this mysterious shadow of nightmares, wearing a cloak with nine seals began to say something unlike the other Akuma Akumu.

"You're the challenger?" it asked her with a distorted voice, showing them a shocking surprise.

Yume gasped with shock, hearing this Akuma Akumu asking her if she's the challenger. She became frighten and Yoji stood besides her, protecting her from the strange talking Akuma Akumu.

"You're the one who hurt Tsukida and the others. I won't let you hurt Yume then!" he said to the talking cloaked Akuma Akumu.

"Ryoji, the protecter of the challenger," it realized.

"I can protect her with my own free will. Don't call me that name ever again. I'm Yoji, got it memorized?"

"I see. Then you leave no choice, but to take you down."

"Kazekiri, can you look after the others and heal them?" he implied to the wind spirit.

"Understood. Please be careful. The one we confronted is different to the other Akuma Akumu." Kazekiri mentioned to Yoji.

The wind spirit went towards the shinobi of Inyogakure and healed with her autumn leaves.

"Thank you, Kazekiri." Seiichi thanked her.

"You're a lifesaver..." Kuta complied while still in pain.

"Don't worry. I'll make a barrier after healing you all," she stated.

"But what about Yume and Yoji-san?" Rika asked, worried about Yume.

"It's best to leave Yoji to protect her. I've a bad feeling that this Akuma Akumu is after Yume-san as the challenger..." the wind spirit explained to them.

"You mean... She's the challenger all this time?" she explained to Kazekiri.

"Rika, what's wrong?" Pana asked.

"Yume... why?" the ninja tool kunoichi became worried.

_"Don't tell me..." _Pana realized that Yume was the real challenger after hearing Netami, Taidana, and Yoku mentioning about the challenger. She knew that she and the others had no choice, but to watch Yume and Yoji faced the mystery Akuma Akumu. _"If she is the challenger, then we're outsiders all this time?"_

Yume activated her Byakugan at the distorted Akuma Akumu. Much to her shock, she noticed that this unknown Akuma Akumu have the chakra pathway system for the very first time.

"What's going on? Why?"

"Let's just say... I'm special," it explained to her.

"Special?" Yoji replied. "What did you mean _special_? Kazekiri-san told me about the nine seals on your cloak. Is that special?"

"You'll better find out by destroying all of them on my cloak. Should you do that by fighting against me, you'll regret it when seeing my true form," it provoked Yoji by stating those nine seals on the cloak.

_"True form?"_ he thought with bewilderment. He began to use his chakrams, summoning Ifrit after throwing them. The flame demon growled at the unknown Akuma Akumu. "I won't lose to you even you'll show your true form!"

Encountering the Akuma Akumu with nine seals on its cloak, what was its true form it mentioned?


	32. Chapter 31: The Tailed Beast Nightmare

**Chapter 31: A Tailed Beast Nightmare**

Somewhere in the bamboo forests of this land, Yori was asleep behind a tall rock, taking a break while still finding Yumekui, Kazekiri, even his friends and cousin. However for him, his closed eyes trembled in pain, it's nothing but a painful nightmare he can't stop having. A nightmare was his painful sin from three years ago. An incident from three years ago caused him pain, agony, and betrayal. He heard screams of the people who were killed by someone; he saw her insanity face with blood. And then, she wounded him leaving him alive.

He woke up with a painful gasp. His white eyes showed unforgetful and yet fear after receiving the same nightmare he can't either escape or forget. He gripped his both hands, knowing that it's no use to forget.

"Why? Not again," He covered his eyes with his right hand, trying to calm himself down. "It always the same nightmare. I want to forget about what happened back then, but I can't. Three years ago, that incident... is nothing, but an eternal, and yet scarred sin."

He knew that he can't forget that name from the girl he always remember. The truth about her, the incident from three years, and having true darkness from her due to their relationship. Of course, he knew that she's still alive somewhere.

Thinking of her, he began to whisper with a painful look, "Megami..."

Meanwhile, Yoji and Yume confronted a cloaked with nine seals Akuma Akumu. Yoji and his demon partner Ifrit prepared to fight the mystery opponent.

"Whoever you are, I won't let you hurt Yume." said Yoji.

"Oh, let's find out and try to destroy my nine seals on my cloak then." it provoked him.

Yume became mesmerized after seeing with her Byakugan on the unknown creature and noticing it has a chakra system.

"This creature. Unlike the other Akuma Akumu, it received the ability to communicate with us. Something strange. What's this chakra I saw with my Byakugan?"

Ifrit and Yoji went towards their new opponent. Yoji began to summon fireballs at the opponent and Ifrit clawed him, only to notice it dodged the attacks. The flame shinobi commanded Ifrit turned back into his chakrams. His chakrams came towards Yoji, catching with both hands.

"You're very persistent, Ryoji." it complied to him. "Despite you're not the eighth nightmare anymore, you're still her protector of the nightmare game."

"Ryoji is just a puppet name. I always never forget my real name for three years," the former eighth nightmare stated. "As the challenger's protector, I won't let you hurt her!"

He threw his chakrams with hellfire flames at the Akuma Akumu. He began to his fire release technique while his chakrams distracted his opponent.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

He summoned enormous fireball towards the cloaked opponent, burning it along with its nine seals on the shadow cloak. Flames appeared, showing Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana surprised.

"He did it!" Kuta exclaimed.

Suddenly, Kazekiri felt the intense aura and chakra, realizing the sensation. She quickly create a wind barrier for Yoji and Yume, showing them surprise.

"Yoji, Yume-san! It's still alive!" she warned.

The two became shocked and Ifrit protected Yoji from the surprise attack: a black tail of a kitsune. Protecting its master, Ifrit and Yoji got counter-attacked and a dark tail lashed them away.

"Yoji-san!" Rika and Pana shouted.

Ifrit caught Yoji and stood on the ground.

"I'm all right, Ifrit." However, Yoji felt weak after noticing the dark tail wounded him. "My body..."

Ifrit noticed his right arm bled and healed its master by licking him. As the hellfire flames disappeared, it appeared its true form after its cloak with nine seals were destroyed. Nine shadow tails were showed like a fox and its appearances were the same like the shadows of nightmares. Yume noticed its true form before as she gasped with a shocking surprise.

"Those tails! You're a tailed beast all this time?" she implied.

"Yes, but I'm different from the original."

"The original, you mean the Nine-Tails? Then how did you become like that?"

"Megami-sama created me using an Akuma Akumu," it answered. "It was her first time creating me."

Tsukida heard the name Megami and asked with a shocking surprise and yet confused. "She created you?!"

The nine-tailed Akuma Akumu realized after hearing the Yukisaki heir's question.

It answered to him, "Yes, not just only me. After her defection from Inyogakure three years ago, she created this land with nightmares and those Akuma Akumu."

The Inyogakure shinobi and Yume shocked when that Megami was the creator of this land, the monsters, and the Nine-Tails Akuma Akumu.

"I don't believe it..." Tsukida became speechless.

"That's outrageous! The prideful goddess created Akumu no Kuni and those Akuma Akumu monsters!?" Kuta stated with shocking bewilderment.

Yume became shocked that Megami was once an Inyo kunoichi before her defection.

"Tsukida-kun. Is this true? She was an Inyo kunoichi?" she implied to her cousin.

Knowing that he had no choice but to explain to his twin cousin, he knew about Megami and the incident from three years.

"Megami-sama became the goddess with pride because of her talents. However, after her defection three years ago, I was the second one that knew the truth about her. She's different from us."

"The truth about Megami-sama?" Seiichi replied.

"Megami's different? What do you mean?" Yume asked with bewilderment.

"Three years after her defection, Megami-sama is a kinjutsu." Tsukida answered.

Rika, Pana, Kuta, and Seiichi became shocked that Megami, a former kunoichi of Inyogakure, is a kinjutsu.

"A kinjutsu?!" Kuta replied with shock.

"Tsukida, is this true?" Seiichi asked.

Tsukida nodded.

"No way..." said Rika, becoming speechless.

"Megami... is a kinjutsu?" Yume replied with shock. "Tsukida-kun... Who told you?"

Tsukida remembered three years ago after Megami's defection. He and Yori had a conversation at the Sun Moon Lake when they were chunin. At the red bridge of the Sun Moon Lake, the heir of the Yukisaki clan became awe, realizing about Megami.

"Megami-sama... is a kinjutsu? Yori, is this true?" Tsukida asked.

Yori nodded with pitiful silence. "Before she disappeared, she told me her true self. I'm the only one who showed her the path to her true self. After what happened back then, I can't stop remembering about her and her true self. No matter how I can't forget or stop remembering while thinking of her, this sin I have became my eternal scar."

After remembering the talk with Yori three years ago, he began to answer Yume's question without fear or hesitation.

"Three years ago after Megami-sama's defection, Yori told me about her and her true self. He's the first one who knew the truth because he helped to find her true self." the Yukisaki heir answered.

Yume Yukisaki, the Ally of the Byakugan, became shocked that Yori was the only person who showed Megami the true path of her true self.

"Yori... told you." she replied with shock.

"This conversation ends here," said the Nine-Tailed Akuma Akumu. "After I found you, I come here to kill you as the current challenger."

It used his five tails towards Yume, much to her shock even the Inyo shinobi.

"Yume!" Rika and Pana yelled.

Suddenly a wind slash with autumn leaves cutted five tails as they disappeared. Right now, the Akuma Akumu've four tails after it noticed the other five were destroyed.

"That wind release technique. Is that..." Seiichi noticed that technique slashed the Akuma Akumu's five tails.

"Yeah! I saw that before! That's Koyokiri!" Kuta replied.

"If that's the Koyokiri technique we just saw, then..." Rika stated.

With the Inyo shinobi's sudden surprise, Kazekiri silently noticed that he saved Yume's life. She never knew that someone came to save her from the tailed nightmare beast.

"You came here to save her, right, Kai?" the kunoichi of the wind spirit realized, knowing about his relationship with Yume.

Yume felt a familiar presence and quickly noticed the technique that slashed five tails. She noticed autumn leaves in front of herself. An autumn leaves disappeared and the person who saved the Ally's life was none other than Kai Kurosaki, the former Konoha shinobi and the dreamkeeper.

"Kaito-san!" Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana surprised.

After the dreamkeeper saved Yume's, she never knew that he came to save her for the second time.

"Kai-sensei..." she said his name.

"You're okay, Yume?" he asked, turning his head at her.

Yume nodded silently after seeing Kai for the second time. From the first time, she casted her former hatred and revenge after killing the person who killed Kai three years ago won't bring him back to life. She became speechless after seeing her sensei once again.

"I never knew you'd save her life and destroyed my five tails altogether," the tailed beast Akuma Akuma explained.

Kai Kurosaki began to use his katana, which was transformed from a dream cane. He prepared to fight the four-tailed Akuma Akumu.

"This is your true real weakness," the dreamkeeper stated about the Akuma Akumu's tailed beast form. "Destroying all nine of them will cause you disappear."

"Is that so? Go ahead and destroy the remaining four." it began to form a fox-like style with its hands and feet on the ground.

After finding the true weakness of the tailed beast Akuma Akumu, will the dreamkeeper destroy the four tails once and for all?


	33. Chapter 32: A Dream's Reunion

This chapter will be about Yume met her sensei once again, but this time she found out that Kai is Kaito the dreamkeeper.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 32: A Dream's Reunion<strong>

After Kai Kurosaki as Kaito the Dreamkeeper saved Yume's life, Tsukida became worried about the battle.

"We have to help Kaito-san," said Tsukida.

Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana became sudden surprised, but shocked when the Yukisaki heir stated that they've to help Kaito.

"Tsukida, are you sure?" Seiichi asked. "It's dangerous."

"Yeah, I don't let anyone even Pana and myself get hurt," Kuta replied.

"He's right. There's no way we defeat that," Pana agreed with Kuta.

"But... I have a feeling that Kaito-san can't destroy that Akuma Akumu." Tsukida exclaimed.

"I don't think I would do that if I were you, Tsukida-sama." Kazekiri explained.

"Kazekiri-san..." the heir of the Yukisaki clan replied.

"We've only have no choice, but to watch and have faith in him." she complied.

"Kaito-san," Rika worried, watching the anew beginning of the battle between the tailed beast Akuma Akumu and the dreamkeeper.

Yume, on the other hand, became speechless while watching her assumed alive sensei fighting against the Akuma Akumu. She realized that his voice said to her during her battle against Ikari of the Tengu clan. And the dreamkeeper who saved her from the Akuma Akumu was actually her sensei from three years.

_"Kai-sensei... is the dreamkeeper?"_ she realized.

Before she was captured and chosen as the challenger of the nightmare game by Kabuto, she went with Rika and Pana after her Ju Inyoken training. Rika and Pana came to her and told her about the person who was known as Kaito the dreamkeeper.

"Kaito the Dreamkeeper?" Yume replied.

"Yeah, he's very special! He always keep dreams that will come true someday," Rika explained about the dreamkeeper. "Even he always help Ayumu-san."

"Keeping dreams will come true, huh? I wonder it's true," the Ally of the Byakugan wondered curiously.

"Well, our dream did came true after you became our third member of our team," the ninja tool kunoichi replied.

"What was your dream?"

"Well, my dream's the same as Pana's. Our dream was to see Tou-san and Shaolin-san to come back from their long-time mission. It's a miracle!" Rika answered.

"I see. A miracle, huh?" Yume replied.

"So what's your dream, Yume?" Rika implied.

"Huh? My dream?" the Konoha kunoichi replied. "I wonder."

"You don't have to tell us if it's a secret dream," she stated, chuckling. "We're here. Ayumu-san's dream shop!"

A Chinese-like shop with Chinese lanterns with a character "dream" appeared before Team YRP.

"Well, shall we?" Pana implied to Yume and Rika.

"Yeah, let's." Rika replied positively while Yume nodded.

The three kunoichi entered and the assistant of the dream shop, Asaka, noticed and replied, "Ah, welcome!"

All a quick sudden, the young assistant noticed one of the customers is a Konoha kunoichi, which was Yume, fo course.

"A Konoha kunoichi! How lucky! My name is Asaka, Ayumu-san's dream shop assistant! Nice to meet ya!" the young boy introduced himself to Yume.

"Nice to mee you, Asaka-kun. I'm Yume Yukisaki," Yume replied.

"Yume Yukisaki? You're the Ally of the Byakugan! What a surprise!" the assistant stated with excitement. "It's a great honor to meet you in person, Yume-san!

"It seems you're getting popular as a famous kunoichi, huh, Yume-san," Rika complied.

"Well, I'm their ally," the Konoha kunoichi smiled faintly.

"So is Ayumu-san here?" Pana asked.

Before Asaka answer Pana's question, Ayumu came here at the counter, surprising her assistant and Team YRP.

"Ayumu-san!" Asaka realized.

"You must be Ayumu-san. Please to meet you," said the Ally of the Byakugan.

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Yume-sama," Ayumu replied with a content smile. "How may I help you?"

"We're here to see Kaito-san!" Rika replied with delight.

"What do you mean _we_, Rika?" Pana asked. "You and I always come here all the time. Besides, it's Yume's first time."

"Oh come on, Pana. Although our dream did came true, I can't stop visiting this shop after all," Rika explained. "Anyway, is Kaito-san here?"

"Yeah, he's here! Can I go get him, Ayumu-san?" Asaka implied.

The dream shopkeeper noticed with sudden surprise and wondered about Kaito's doing. Nonetheless, she began to reply, "Please forgive me, but I'm afraid he's busy right now."

Rika became dismay and Pana noticed that they might bother him while doing something busy.

"I see," Pana realized. "We'll come again if he's not busy."

"Aw, he's busy right now. Well, guess we'll have to wait then," Rika reluctantly agreed. "Hey, while we're here, let's look around."

Yume and Pana nodded as they agreed with Rika. The dark taijutsu kunoichi and the ninja tool kunoichi gave the Ally of the Byakugan a tour of Ayumu's dream shop. They showed her people's dreams that were looked like a light orb.

Asaka became confused and began to whisper to Ayumu, "Ayumu-san, what do you mean he's busy?"

"Well, it's a secret," Ayumu replied to her trusty assistant. "Besides, it'll be a shocking dream for Yume-sama."

"Eh? What do you mean a "shocking" dream?" he replied with confusion and wonder.

"Well, it's hard to put this, but don't bother him. Okay, Asaka-kun?"

Asaka nodded with no choice, but to get along with Ayumu's plan. On the other hand, Team YRP looked at people's dreams of a soul. Yume became amazed, seeing something wonderfully special.

"They're very unique," she commented.

"Yep, I hope their dreams will come true sooner or later." Rika smiled.

"I agree," Pana replied.

Suddenly, Yume felt a familiar presence while looking around with her teammates. She looked around and noticed that someone she felt wasn't here at some point.

_"This familiar presence. Could it be..."_ she thought with sudden realize.

"What's wrong?" Pana asked.

"Nothing," Yume answered, shooking her head.

"Hey, let's go to the Yume no Kuni," Rika convinced Pana and Yume.

"Yume no Kuni?" Yume replied.

"Yeah. It's fun! Come on," she answered while pulling her with her.

After Team YRP went to the Yume no Kuni, they exchanged goodbyes to Asaka and Ayumu.

"Come again." Ayumu waved a goodbye.

Few days later, Yume came to Ayumu's dream shop by herself. She entered and Ayumu noticed and replied, "Ah, welcome."

"Yume-san!" Asaka noticed with surprise. "What brings you here?"

"Is he busy just in case?" Yume asked.

"Oh. You're talking about Kaito-san, am I correct?" Ayumu mentioned.

Yume nodded.

"I'm afraid he's still busy," the dream shopkeeper answered.

"I see. Can you tell me more about the dreamkeeper?"

"Rika-chan told you about him and his ability to keep dreams until they come true." said the dream shopkeeper. "As the dreamkeeper, he have a special ability. He sees any events of a person in his dream vision. He can also turn nightmares into eternal dreams."

Yume listened to the shopkeeper and became amazed.

"That's special, being a dreamkeeper, huh?" she complied.

"Well, like you, he also uses medical ninjutsu," Ayumu stated.

The Ally of the Byakugan surprised that Kaito knew about medical ninjutsu other than abilities as the dreamkeeper. While talking with Ayumu, she felt someone's watching her at the dream shop. However, she made a quick look, noticing that someone quickly disappeared. After the conservation with Ayumu, she waved her and Asaka goodbye.

_"Maybe my dream is to see the dreamkeeper in person," _thought Yume as she kept wakling.

After reminiscing back then, Yume became surprised that her sensei was actually Kaito the Dreamkeeper. Suddenly, Kai managed to keep standing from kneeling on the ground while fighting the Akuma Akumu in a tailed beast form.

"You're very persistant. But still, you can't destroy me." said the Akuma Akumu.

It began to attack with its claws and went towards Kaito, showing Rika, Pana, and Team Tsukida's shock.

"Kaito-san!" Rika and Pana yelled.

As the the tailed beast came closer to the dreamkeeper, Yume pushed the dreamkeeper away and took damage from the Akuma Akumu. Kai became shocked that his student almost risked her life, receiving a wound on her left arm just like one of the Akuma Akumu did to her while trying to capture her back then.

Kazekiri, Rika, Pana, and Team Tsukida showed greater shock when seeing Yume got hurted while pushing him away. Rika covered her mouth with her both hands from gaping, seeing something much shock.

The Akuma Akumu tailed beast showed very bewilderment after wounding the current challenger of the nightmare game.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are you protecting an outsider?" it asked.

"I won't let you hurt him," Yume replied. "I won't sit back and do nothing while seeing you trying to kill someone important in front of me!"

After receiving a wound from her left arm, she tried to heal, but doesn't have the strength. It scoffed at her words and began to use tailed beast ball just like the rest of the tailed beasts.

Kai noticed its technique like the rest of them and quickly used his wind genjutsu. "Fugen: Fuma!"

He summons nine demons of the wind and attacked the nightmare tailed beast from using its tailed beast ball. As it got distracted by Kai's wind genjutsu, he went towards his student and began to heal her left arm with his Shosenjutsu.

"Kai-sensei," said Yume, realizing that her sensei started healing her left arm.

"Yume, I'm sorry..." he apologized to Yume, much to her surprise.

"I understand. You don't have to keep a secret from me." Yume replied, smiling at Kai. "Thank you for saving my life back then. And... You made my dream came true. I'm glad I met you as Kaito the Dreamkeeper."

Kai became surprised that he made his student's dream came true. He smiled to himself and thought, _"Ayumu's right. Her dream... is to meet me as the dreamkeeper all this time."_

Suddenly, the Akuma Akumu tailed beast defeated the wind demons of Kai's wind genjutsu and began to attack him and Yume. However, Yoji stopped it from attacking the two with his hellfire demon form after resonating with Ifrit. The Inyo shinobi and the wind spirit kunoichi became shockly surprised when seeing Yoji with flames on his body with black horns on his hands and head.

"Whoa! What's with the flames!?" said Kuta with a shock look on his face.

"How did he do that?" Tsukida asked.

"He used his chakra to resonate with his flame demon partner, thus becoming the demon himself." Kazekiri explained about Yoji's hellfire demon form.

"Eh! Yoji-san used his Chakra no Kyomei with Ifrit?" Rika implied.

"Yes. I never knew that someone like him would resonate with a flame demon," the wind spirit kunoichi stated.

"I guess Yoji-san's special from the rest of Inyo shinobi even us," Kuta commented about Yoji.

The tailed beast nightmare realized that Yoji became a hellfire monster.

"I see. It's like a monster battle," it complied.

"Don't comment this battle just because we're _monsters_." Yoji replied bitterly. "I'll destroy you once and for all!"

He summoned flames around the tailed beast nightmare, much its shock.

"What?!"

Its remaining tails were covered with flames even its shadow. Yoji began to summon a hellfire ball from his mouth and threw at the tailed beast, burning it with flames. As the flames disappeared quickly, the tailed beast became defeated as the four remaining tails were gone after burned with flames.

"I never knew... that I would be defeated... by the likes of you," it replied as its very last words.

It began to fall back on the ground and itself and its shadow disappeared after its defeat. Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became suprirsed that Yoji finally defeated.

"He did it!" said Rika.

After the intense battle, Kazekiri dispelled the wind barrier as Rika and Pana went towards Yoji to make sure that he's okay. Yoji returned to normal as Ifrit appeared besides him. He commanded Ifrit to return back to its origanl forms. It nodded and returned back to the chakrams and Yoji caught them and placed them on his waist.

"Yoji-san!"

Yoji heard Rika calling him and turned around, seeing the two kunoichi.

"Rika, Pana."

"You're okay?" Rika implied.

"Yeah. What about you guys?"

"We're okay, thanks to Kazkekiri-san for healing us." Pana answered.

Yoji realized and wondered that Yume was okay. He checked on Yume, noticing that she became unconscious just now. He went towards Yume and knelt before her.

"Don't worry. She passed out after you defeated the Akuma Akumu tailed beast," Kai stated.

"I see," Yoji replied.

He noticed that Yume's left arm was now healed, thanks to Kai. He also saw bandages was wrapped on her arm. He sighed in relief after realizing that Yume was all right. Rika and Pana went towards them and realized that Yume became unconscious.

"Kaito-san, is she okay?" Rika asked as she became worried.

"Yes, she's okay. She'll regain her consciousness soon." he replied.

Kai carried Yume in his arms and took her to the Inyo hideout, letting her to rest and recover. The Inyo shinobi, Kazekiri, and Yoji went to their hideout as well. After they entered to their hideout, Megami realized that Yoji already defeated her Akuma Akumu tailed beast with his hellfire demon form. However, she smiled delightfully.

"I wonder what's Yori-kun doing just now. I know he did it on purpose by not remembering me. He still remembers me no matter what." Megami complied.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the bamboo forest, Yori tried to look for Tsukida and the other, epspecially Yumekui. All the sudden, he found Yumekui outside of the bamboo forests.

He went towards Yumekui, realizing that the young boy's still unconscious.

_"He's still unconscious. I hope he'll wake up soon," _he thought.

Suddenly, he felt someone was here and turned around as he began to shockly noticed that he found someone he was looking for. Of course, it was Unmei.

"Unmei..." he realized.

"I hope you know why I'm here, Yori." Unmei complied.

Yori prepared himself after confronting Unmei once again.

"You came here to kill me, right?" he implied.

"This battle won't be the same as the last time," replied Unmei.

"I won't to lose you again!" Yori exclaimed.

The second battle of Yori and Unmei had just begun. Will Yori defeat Unmei while protecting the unconscious Yumekui?


	34. Chapter 33: True Darkness, Awakened

**Chapter 33: True Darkness, Awakened**

Somewhere in the bamboo forest at the Inyo hideout, Rika and Pana looked after Yume, who was now unconscious and laying on the bed. While the two kunoichi looked after Yume, Team Tsukida, Kazekiri, Yoji, and Kai as Kaito the Dreamkeeper determined to find Yori.

"Now that we're altogether, we've to find Yori." said Seiichi.

"I hope he's okay," Kuta complied as he became worried.

"He will, Kuta. I'm sure of it," Tsukida replied.

During the conservation, Kai began to go outside and Yoji noticed as he began to follow him as well. As Kai was now outside, his face became concerned as he became worried about Yori and the others. Suddenly, he noticed that Yoji came out as well.

"You must be Yoji," Kai stated.

"Yes I am." Yoji answered. "Kai Kurosaki. Yume told me about you and your death from three years ago."

"I see..."

Kai smiled slightly and yet still concerned. Yoji noticed Kai's concerned face and began to ask him, "What's wrong?"

He heard Yoji asked him something.

"Yoji, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Yoji asked, realizing.

"Remember after you defeated the Akuma Akumu tailed beast? After I healed and tended Yume's left arm, I noticed something strangely amiss." Kai explained.

After Yoji defeated the nightmare tailed beast, Kai finished healing and tending the wound from his student's left arm. He noticed something's wrong with Yume. She felt in pain as she panted, clutching her head. As she's in pain, her white eyes became haze once more and she became unconscious in Kai's arms.

"Yume!"

He felt something different and knew that her feelings she have were emotionless.

"Something amiss? What do you mean?" Yoji implied.

"Yume's emotionless feelings," Kai answered.

Yoji became confused when Kai mentioned about Yume's feelings that were emotionless.

_"Her emotionless feelings?"_ he thought.

Meanwhile, the battle between Yori and Unmei had started. They exchanged the kicks and punches, blocking each other's attacks. Yori tried to dodged Unmei's attacks. He used one of his short-ranged dark taijutsu with a palm-heel strike with his dark chakra of a dark lion.

"Kurai Shishi Kogeki!"

However, Unmei blocked the attack and began to kick him back. Yori landed on the ground and stood up slowly after got kicked by his opponent.

_"Damn it..."_

"I should have known that you can't defeat me," Unmei stated.

Yori knew that his opponent has the same abilities as his. He tried to find a way to defeat him, but the important problem is how.

_"I have to defeat him, but how?"_ thought Yori, trying to think a way for defeating Unmei.

He began to use his taijutsu once again on Unmei. However, Unmei blocked Yori's attacks once again. Unmei used his kunai and stabbed Yori in the stomach. However, he realized that it's a yami bunshin, seeing the dark shadows. Yori ambushed Unmei behind, using his dark katana. Unmei blocked Yori's katana with his kunai.

The battle still continued and Yori summoned eight yami bunshins, and he and his yami bunshins surrounded Unmei. They started to attack Unmei, however Unemi took them down quickly. After defeating the yami bunshins, Unmei noticed the real Yori wasn't here. He looked around and all the sudden Yori ambushed him from behind.

"Hissatsu: Kurai Shogeki Hado!"

Yori putted his elbow on Unmei's back, sending large amounts of dark enegry waves through his opponent's body and using his palm heel strike for the last. Unemi landed on the ground after Yori pushed him away. He never knew that Yori ambushed him after destroying all the yami bunshins. He stood up slowy. After standing up, he looked away from Yori, only showing his back at him.

"Much stronger as I thought... However, you can't defeat me," he stated.

He released something overwhelm and he tapped into true darkness within him. Yori became shocked as he noticed this feeling.

_"Don't tell me!? Is that true darkness?"_ he realized.

Unmei went towards Yori and then attacked him with a palm heel strike. Yori, who was now shocked, tried to block, but got attacked and then landed on the ground. After receiving the attack, he can't move his body. Unmei's true darkness had disappeared and he went towards the impervious Yori. Coming towards him, he summoned his dark katana in his right hand.

"Your life ends here." Unmei reached his dark katana up in the air on the top of Yori's chest as he was about to kill him, ending the battle.

Yori tried to move his body, but he doesn't have his strength to do it. His white eyes began to close slowly, seeing Unmei for one last time before becoming unconscious.

As he became unconscious, Yori appeared in a white blank background, laying on the ground motionless. He opened his eyes with a blank look and saw his twin sister in front of him. Yume smiled at him and gave her hand to him. Yori reached her hand with his left hand and suddenly he heard a cry calling him.

"Yori!" The voice who called him was Yume all the sudden.

As Unmei thrusted his dark katana towards Yori's chest, Yori regained his consciousness and quickly opened his eyes right now with a serious look.

_"No! I can't die without saving Yume!"_

Regaining his consciousness, he unawarely tapped into his true darkness within him and destroyed Unmei's dark katana. Unmei suddenly backed away from Yori after seeing his true darkness.

_"This is his true darkness," _Unmei stated with a sudden surprise.

Yori stood up and his eyes became blank as it felt like he was controlled by true darkness. He went towards to attack Unmei once again in a quick speed. Unmei tried to block his opponent's attacks, but the attacks were too quick. Yori restrained Unmei's arm and began to punch his face, thus breaking his black dragon-marked mask. Unmei landed on the ground once again and his mask was shattered into three pieces. He slowly stood up little, only he was knelt on the ground. Unmei's face was finally shown to Yori.

Yori became shocked as he came to his senses and his eyes went back to normal. He became speechless when he saw Unmei's face was the same as his. The same appearance such as the white eyes and the brown ponytail Unmei had was the same as Yori's.

"I... I don't believe this. Why? I don't understand... Why do you have the same face as mine?!" Yori asked as he became confused with fear.

"Like I told you back then, you and I are the same. Even our abilities and true darkness." Unmei answered. "The reason I am you is because I was created."

Yori realized that Unmei was "created".

"Created? What did you mean?" he implied.

"Three years ago, she created me by using your blood. That's why I have your appearance, your abilites, and the true darkness."

"Who created you?"

"Megami-sama." Unmei answered.

Yori became sudden extreme shocked that Megami created Unmei with his blood three years ago. His eyes widened with fear. He never knew that Megami would create Unmei with his own blood.

"Megami... created you?" Yori replied.

"I know that you have a connection with Megami-sama. She ordered me to kill you from saving your twin sister."

"I don't understand! Why would she do that?!" he asked with rage.

"Remember my warning I gave you? I told you not to interfere the game by saving her." Unmei stated.

Yori remembered that warning he tried to know why.

"What kind of game? And what do you mean that I'm interfering the game by saving Yume? I want to know why." he exclaimed.

"I have no right to answer why. It is best to leave at once." Unmei convinced him.

Yori became impact that Unmei told him to leave the Akumu no Kuni.

"I'm not leaving without her!" he protested.

Unmei realized that Yori won't leave without saving his precious twin sister. He became displeased after hearing Yori's protest.

"I see. I never knew that Yume is more important to you than Megami-sama," he stated. "After all, when I first met you, you pretended that you don't know her even you showed her true self."

Yori never knew that Unmei knew that he pretended on purpose. He became loss for words and knew that forgetting Megami won't go away no matter how he tried.

"To tell you the truth, I'm different to you. Unlike the Akuma Akumu you encountered, I'm just a half-Akuma Akumu." he explained to Yori.

"Half Akuma Akumu?" he replied with shock.

"I don't have an ability to transform like the rest of the Akuma Akumu. I still have your abilities."

Yori became silent after realizing that Unmei is a half Akuma Akumu.

"Yori, tell me. Why do you really want to save Yume?" Unmei asked.

Yori knew that saving Yume was the important mission and he can't save her from one of the Akuma Akumu back then.

"Back then, I tried to protect her when the Akuma Akumu ambushed us. However, I failed to stop one of them from kidnapping her. That's why I'm going to save her no matter what." he answered. "If I leave right now, I don't know what will happen to Yume!"

Unmei realized Yori's reason and replied with an understanding look, "I see. You really wanted to save her. In that case, I won't stop you."

Yori became shockly surprised that Unmei stated that he won't stop him from saving Yume. Unmei took his broken mask and summoned dark flames around him. After summoning the dark flames, he disappeared along with them.

"It's best to find your twin sister right now. She's here somewhere."

Yori didn't realize that Yume was here somewhere in the bamboo forest.

"Yume..."

After the tense battle, Yori went towards the unconscious Yumekui and carried him on his back. He left the battlefield as he began to search Yume and the others whom he got serparated when they first came to the Akumu no Kuni. After he left, a figure came out from the bambo trees. It was Ikari, who saw the whole battle between Yori and Unmei.

_"That boy. I never knew that he's the one who have true darkness like the rest of us."_ Ikari thought.

After the battle had ended, Yori must find Yume and the others.


	35. Chapter 34: Emotionless Feelings

This chapter will be about Kaito explaining to Yoji about Yume's emotionless feelings.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 34: Emotionless Feelings<strong>

Somewhere at the bamboo forests, Unmei appeared, coming out from the dark flames. He knelt down on the ground all the sudden and panted slowly from his battle against Yori Yukisaki. While kneeling on the ground, he noticed that he dropped his three pieces of his black dragon mask. That mask he had was a gift from his creator, Megami, of course. She gave that mask to him after he was created and his awakening. He picked up one of the three pieces of his mask. He never knew that Yori could break his mask.

Suddenly, a voice said to him out of nowhere, "Well, I never knew that you didn't kill him."

He heard a familiar voice and looked at the person he noticed and knew. It was Megami.

"Megami-sama," Unmei replied.

She went towards and noticed that Unmei's mask was broken. She took it from him and recovered the three pieces back to normal. After fixing his mask, she returned it to him.

"Thank you..." Unmemi thanked her slightly.

"Unmei, tell me. Why did you spared Yori-kun's life?" she asked.

Unemi realized that Megami asked him a question about sparing Yori's life.

"It's because of his twin sister. I told him to leave, but he won't." he answered.

"I see. I understand. You don't have to kill him," Megami stated.

"Megami-sama."

She stood up and began to leave soon.

"I will meet Yori-kun again sooner or later. Of course, I'm sure he didn't forget me all the time."

Unmei noticed that she knew that Yori tried to forget her on purpose, but he can't stop forgetting her.

"There's something I want to ask you," he complied.

Megami turned around at him and replied, "Really? What is it?"

"Is he important to you?" asked Unmei.

She knew that Unmei is the same as Yori because their appearances, abilities, and true darkness.

"Yes he is. But you're very important to me, Unmei," she answered. "I know you're the same as Yori-kun. Before I created you, he's important to me because he helped me to find my true self: a kinjutsu created by Otou-sama."

"I see..." Unmei replied.

"You should return to my castle right now," Megami convinced. "You look injured from the battle."

Unmei knew that he had to recover from the battle against Yori.

"Yes, Megami-sama..." he replied to her.

He summoned his dark flames and entered them. After he left, the dark flames suddenly disappeared. Megami began to leave, but suddenly sensed someone came to her. The figure came out from the shadows and it was Ikari.

"Ikari-san," said Megami with delight.

"I never knew you'd came back, Megami-sama." Ikari exclaimed.

"Well, I came back because Orochimaru-sama told me that Kabuto-san became the host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares," she answered. "After all, I have to participate. I heard that Yume completed six stages right now."

"Yes, she did. According to Kabuto Yakushi, Yoji has done playing the role as the challenger's protector," the yokai explained.

"I see. Yume has to fight me alone," she stated.

"Yes."

Megami realized that fighting Yume Yukisaki was similiar to their chichiues: Yokami and Musashi Hyuga's battle.

"I never knew that I would fight Yume on the final stage. This is like fate."

"Is it because Yokami was defeated by Musashi Hyuga before he created you?" Ikari asked.

"Yes. It's very true. It's like a legacy battle," she stated.

Ikari wondered about someone who had the true darkness like him, Unmei, and the other six shinobi of nightmares. Of course, he saw Yori used his true darkness from the battle.

"Megami-sama, there's something I need to tell you."

"Really? Tell me."

"It's about that boy. Like the rest of us, he has an ability to use his true darkness," Ikari stated.

"I see you're talking about Yori-kun."

"You know that boy?" he asked.

"Yes, he's the first person who received true darkness from me three years ago. Before my defection, he helped me to find my true self." she answered.

Ikari realized that Yori helped Megami to find her real self.

"Then what about Unmei? His face is the same as that boy," he exclaimed.

"Well, Unmei is a half Akuma Akumu. He have the same abilities as Yori-kun's." she answered.

"I believe he's important to you, Megami-sama." Ikari replied.

Megami nodded to him.

"You're going to meet him, am I correct?"

"Yes. Yori-kun tried to forget about me on purpose, but there's no way he would stop remembering me all the time. He can't escape from me." explained the goddess. Before she was about to leave, she requested him something. "Before I leave, I have a request for you."

"What kind of request, Megami-sama?"

"I want you to find Yumekui," she ordered him. "He's with Yori-kun right now."

Ikari never realized that Yumekui came to the Akumu no Kuni and was now with Yori.

"I never knew that the dream eater was with him just now. He shouldn't be here right now." Ikari stated. "This land is filled with Akuma Akumu."

"Don't forget, Ikari. Do not kill Yori-kun while retrieving my ototo-chan."

"Yes, Megami-sama."

Meanwhile, somewhere at the Inyo hideout, Yoji became shockly confused when Kai mentioned about Yume's emotionless feelings.

"Yume's emotionless feelings? What do you mean, Kai?" he asked.

"The feelings she just have caused her in pain all the sudden. Right now, they made her pass out." Kai stated.

Yoji realized about Yume's emotionless feelings. From the third stage, Yoji noticed that something strange happened to Yume.

"Come to think of it, something did happened from the third stage." he mentioned. "Yume felt in pain all the sudden because of the emotionless feelings. She told me that Kabuto used her feeliings into emotionless, making her to become the challenger."

After realizing this, Kai became worried about Yori and the others. Suddenly, Kazekiri came out and noticed Kai and Yoji had a conservation.

"Kazekiri." Kai noticed.

Yoji became worried about Yume and began to ask Kazekiri, "Is Yume alright?"

"Yes, she regained her consciousness." she answered.

"I see." Yoji became relieved.

After she told Yoj that Yume was okay, Kazekiri wondered about why Kai came here.

"Kai, did you came for Yume?" she asked.

Kai became surprised that he came here for Yume. However, he shook his head.

"I came here for a different reason." he answered.

"A different reason?" Yoji replied.

"I had a dream vision. That vision I had was from three years ago."

"Three years ago?" Kazekiri shockly surprised. "How's that possible?"

Kai hesitated for the answer. A dream vision from three years ago was connected to him for a reason.

"It's because I first came here. I noticed that someone created the Akumu no Kuni, so I investigated. I encountered those shadows, the Akuma Akumu, while I was examining that land," he explained. "I knew that it's dangerous to come here after I left. And I didn't notice something amiss back then. I should have face him back then."

"Him?" Kazekiri replied.

"My nightmare self, the Nightmare Seeker." Kai answered.

Kazekiri became shocked that Kai was mentioning about the Nightmare Seeker, the person Team Tsukida encountered.

"The Nightmare Seeker is your nightmare self all along?" she asked.

Kai nodded.

"The Nightmare Seeker?" Yoji implied. "Who's that?"

"As you know that the Seeker is my nightmare self, he has the ability to foresee dream visions and the same cane as mine. But unlike my abilities, he can manipulate the Akuma Akumu and change them into nightmare selves." Kai stated.

"Changing them into nightmare selves?" Kazekiri replied with shock, realizing that the nightmare selves were actually Akuma Akumu.

"Yes, but he's different from me. He keeps my orignal name." he explained.

"Your origanl name? You don't mean..." Yoji noticed.

"Kai, the Nightmare Seeker." Kai answered.

Kazekiri became worried and speechless after realizing that the seeker was Kai's nightmare self.

"If that Nightmare Seeker will make more nightmare selves, then what will happen?" she inquired.

"Tsukida, Kuta, and Seiichi had accepted their nightmare selves. But the other nightmare selves will appear before Rika, Pana, and Yori sooner or later." he stated.

"So what should we do then?"

Kai knew that he had no choice, but to tell Kazekiri.

"Kazekiri, I have a request for you. Once you found Yori, you and the others have to return to Inyogakure."

The wind spirit kunoichi became shockly surprised after hearing Kai's request.

"But what about Yume?" Kazekiri implied.

"We can't save her by interfering the game. We're nothing, but outsiders," Kai stated. "I also have another vision."

"Another one?" Yoji replied.

"If Yume didn't complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares and return to Inyogakure, Yori and the others... They'll die."

Yoji and Kazekiri became impact and shocked that Kai's second vision about Yori and the others' death.

"I can't believe it..." said Kazekiri.

Yoji became silent after hearing Kai's second vision.

"So we have to find Yori, then?" he inquired.

"That's correct. I'm sure Yori is somewhere right here." The dreamkeeper stated.

"What about the others? Should we tell them?" Kazekiri asked.

Kai shook his head and answered, "After we find Yori, you'll have to tell them, Kazekiri."

"What about you?" Yoji asked him.

The dreamkeeper wondered about the Nightmare Seeker and answered, "I'll try to find the seeker. You and other have to find Yori."

"Got it."

Kai began to find the Nightmare Seeker as he disappeared into autumn leaves.

"We should start finding Yori right now although Yume-san had recovered." Kazekiri stated.

"Yeah," Yoji agreed.

As they went back to the hideout, Yoji felt something and turned around, seeing nothing around the bamboo forest. After noticing something, he went back into the hideout.

Later, Yori kept searching for Yume and the others while carrying the unconscious Yumekui.

_"Yume, where are you?"_ he thought, worrying about her.

As Yori kept walking and searching, Yumekui opened his eyes and found himself being carried by Yori.

"Yori-san?"

Yori noticed that Yumekui regained his consciousness and began to put him down. After Yumekui was on the ground, he tried to stand up.

"You okay?" Yori asked.

Yumekui nodded. The young boy noticed that Kazekiri wasn't here.

"What happened to Kazekiri-san?" the boy asked.

Yori became silent about Kazekiri fighting against the ice release user back then before the explosion.

"We got separated, but we'll find her and the others as soon as possible." he explained. "We should get going."

"Okay," Yumekui replied.

Suddenly, some Akuma Akumu ambushed the two, much to their shock. Yori began to protect Yumekui after noticing the shadows. While encountering the Akuma Akumu, he noticed dark feathers falling down from the sky. He looked up and saw the man with black wings with surprising shock. Yumekui became shocked after seeing the person he knew. The person Yori and Yumekui encountered was actually Ikari.

_"Those wings... Don't tell me."_ Yori thought, noticing Ikari's raven-like wings.

"I never knew you would come here, dream eater Yumekui." Ikari complied to Yumekui.

Yori became confused when Ikari said dream eater to Yumekui.

_"Dream eater? What's going on?"_ he thought with confusion.

After the encounter with Ikari, Yori discovered that Yumekui was a dream eater.


	36. Chapter 35: Outsiders

**Chapter 35: Outsiders**

After Yume regained her consciousness, Kazekiri put them into four groups. The first group were Team Tsukida, second were Yoji, Rika, and Pana, the third was only Kazekiri, and the fourth and last was Yume.

"Once one of us finds Yori, we will return here," said Kazekiri, making a strategy.

"After we're all together, we're going back to Inyogakure, right?" Tsukida implied.

Hearing Tsukida's question, the wind spirit kunoichi hesitated and answered, "Yes. We'll return to Inyogakure after we find Yori."

Yoji knew that Kazekiri was worried about Yori and the others if Yume returned to Inyogakure with them. According to Kai's dream vision, Yori and the others will die if Yume returns to Inyogakure with the others without completing the game. He was already aware of that after having a talk with Kai.

_"I never knew that outsiders will die if the challenger didn't complete the game while going with them,"_ Yoji thought. He watched Yume with a curious and yet worry look on his face._"The final stage. Could it be that Yume will be fighting Megami?"_

He knew that Yume had to fight on the final stage alone and he have no choice, but to have faith in her. After Kazekiri organized the groups, they're now prepared to find Yori.

On the east side of the bamboo forest, Yume searched for her protective twin brother with her Byakugan. She tried to search for him, but with no avail.

_"Yori..."_

She stopped running and deactivated her Byakugan for a while. While taking a short break, she looked at her bandaged left arm. She remembered while she was unconscious, she realized that her sensei tended her.

Before they went to find Yori, Rika and Pana looked after her until she began to wake up. As she woke up, Rika noticed with surprise.

"Yume," she called her.

"Rika, Pana. What happened?" Yume asked as she stood up.

"You just passed out after Yoji-san defeated that Akuma Akumu tailed beast," Rika answered.

After regaining her consciousness, she noticed that her left arm was wrapped with bandages. Back then, she pushed Kai away and took a fatal hit from the nightmare tailed beast.

"Kaito-san tended your left arm while you were unconscious." Pana explained to her.

"He did?" Yume replied with surprise.

"Yeah, he healed your left arm and wrapped it with bandages." Rika complied. "I never knew that you saved Kaito's life. I was surprised even Pana and the others."

"I see," she replied.

She remembered that Kai saved her life from the tailed beast and she saved his as well. She looked at her bandaged left arm and touched it with her right hand.

_"Kai-sensei... Thank you."_

After remembering back then, she began to find Yori once again. While searching for him, she came to a lake. Suddenly, she saw a white camellia appearing on the water. She came towards the floating camellia and took it from the water.

"A white camellia?"

Looking at the flower, she wondered. Why would a flower appeared in the Akumu no Kuni? There were no people or anything in the Akumu no Kuni, only the monsters called the Akuma Akumu. It was created with many realms.

While looking at the white camellia, its petals that were white turned into black as dark, much to her shock. She dropped the black camellia that was once white all the sudden. She became confused after seeing the petals turned black.

"What's going on?"

Suddenly, she sensed someone's presence. She looked around and saw a figure coming out from the bamboo trees. A man with a blank mask, holding a cane with his right hand, appeared before her. The man Yume encountered was the Nightmare Seeker.

Meanwhile, on the west side of the bamboo forests, Yoji, along with Rika and Pana, searched for Yori. Ifrit tried to sniff Yori's scent while helping with its master and the two Inyo kunoichi.

"Well?" Yoji asked.

It shook its head.

"No luck, but don't worry we'll find him as soon as possible." Yoji stated. He suddenly noticed Rika became worried all the sudden. "What's wrong?"

"Yoji-san. There's something I want to ask you," Rika complied.

"Rika. You don't have to ask." said Pana.

"I have to, Pana." she replied.

Pana realized that Rika wanted to ask Yoji and nodded to her, agreeing.

"What is it?" Yoji asked. "Is it important?"

Rika hesitated about Yume as the challenger of the game for some reason after Kazekiri explained that Yume was the challenger and the target of the Akuma Akumu.

"Is this true... that Yume is the challenger?" she asked.

Yoji's eyes widened with shock when Rika asked him about Yume as the challenger.

"Rika, how did you..."

"When we came to save you and Yume, a ninja tool kunoichi, who was with a summoning technique shinobi, called us outsiders. You know about this, right, Yoji-san?" Pana implied.

Yoji became silent, thinking the Inyo shinobi as outsiders.

"Look, I_—_"

Suddenly, a voice interrupted Yoji's words.

"Us, outsiders? You can't be serious."

All the sudden, Yoji and the two kunoichi heard a voice. The three saw two of them coming out from the bamboo trees. As they came out, Rika and Pana became shocked. The two figures who just came out and were actually their nightmare selves. Their appearances were the same except their eyes were red like the others such as Tsukida, Kuta, and Seiichi.

"I never knew you can't find out why you and the others are outsiders. How disappointing," Rika's nightmare self complied, chuckling.

"What? Who are you?" Rika asked with confusion.

"What did you expect? I'm you, you silly girl."

"That's impossible. You're us?" Pana implied.

Yoji realized that Rika's and Pana's nightmare selves were created by the Nightmare Seeker.

"The Nightmare Seeker created you two, am I right?" he asked.

"I never knew you realized about we're created by the Seeker himself." Pana's nightmare self commented.

"The Seeker? Who are you talking about?" Pana implied.

"That's none of your business." she replied to Pana with a pitiful look.

"Yeah. To think that you and Pana wanting to know why Yume's the challenger, you also wonder why we're outsiders as well." Rika's nightmare self stated. "After all, you heard what the ninja tool kunoichi said to you two. You're outsiders, interfering the game."

"What are you talking about? What game?" Rika confused.

Yoji became shocked as he shockly realized that Rika's and Pana's nightmare selves knew about the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"You know about the nightmare game?"

"Of course we know about the game. For three years, we were still Akuma Akumu, we only killed challengers who failed to complete the game. We kept killing them until we stumbled into another realm. A realm created by someone." Pana's nightmare self explained. "After that, the Seeker created us, your nightmare selves."

"Under the Seeker's orders, we have to kill the originals. That means you." Rika's nightmare self pointed at Rika.

"But why? Why do you want to kill us?" Rika became bewildered.

"We know that saving Yume is futile. You can't save her! If she returns back to Inyogakure without completing the game, you'll all gonna die!" she exclaimed.

Rika and Pana became shocked that they'll die if Yume returns back to Inyo.

"We'll all gonna die?" Rika replied with a speechless look on her face. "You're lying! That's not true!"

"I'm not lying. I'm telling the truth. That's why you shouldn't save Yume." Rika's nightmare self answered.

"You understand this reason? Blinded while trying your comrade." Pana's nightmare self stated.

"I don't understand. Why did you tell us?" Pana asked.

"Why? You already know why. We're you and you're us." she replied to Rika and Pana, pointing at them and then to herself.

"No... No..." said Rika, shooking her head.

Yoji shockly realized that Rika was about to refuse the fact about their nightmare selves and the reason they can't save Yume.

"Rika, don't!" warned Yoji, trying to stop Rika from saying. However, it was too late.

"You and Pana... You can't be us! You're not us!" she yelled.

All the sudden, true darkness surrounded the two nightmare selves. Rika's nightmare self began to laugh with maddness and Pana's nightmare self felt stronger with true darkness. As the true darkness engulfed the two nightmare selves, they turned into dark nightmare selves. Their appearances and attires were darker as well.

"We are the nightmares... The true self," said Pana's nightmare self and Rika's nightmare self altogether.

"Why are you so desperately trying to save Yume? No matter how you tried to save her, your life ends here!" Rika's nightmare self ranted.

Yoji and Ifrit began to protect Rika and Pana.

"Yoji-san..." Rika realized that he and Ifrit were protecting her and Pana.

"I won't let you hurt them." Yoji exclaimed.

"Do you really think you can protect us? Then you shall be the first to be killed!" Pana's nightmare self replied to Yoji.

As the battle between Yoji and the two nightmare selves, will he defeat them while protecting Rika and Pana?


	37. Chapter 36: The Dream Eater Yumekui

This chapter is about Yumekui as a dream eater.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 36: The Dream Eater Yumekui<strong>

Somewhere in the bamboo forest, Yori became shockly confused when Ikari called Yumekui dream eater.

"What's going on? How did you know him?" Yori asked.

"This boy you're with shouldn't supposed to be here." Ikari answered. "And I'm here to take him back."

"What?!" Yori became shocked.

Yumekui hid himself behind Yori from Ikari as he became afraid of him for some reason.

"Whoever you are, I won't let you take him with you!"

_"Yori-san..."_ Yumekui became surprised.

"Do you really think you can protect the boy who is different to you and every other human?" Ikari asked.

"Different? What're you talking about?" he asked.

"This boy is different to you because he's not human than he looks."

Yori became shocked when Ikari told him that Yumekui was not human.

"He's not human..." Yori replied Ikari's words.

He turned his head at Yumekui with loss and suddenly realized that the young boy was somehow a kinjutsu just like Megami.

"Yumekui, is that true... that you're not human because you're a kinjutsu?" he asked.

Yumekui shocked that Yori knew about creating humans including himself and Megami was forbidden.

"Yori-san, you know about this?" he realized.

Yori became speechless after realizing about Yumekui. He was loss for words after remembering about Megami as a kinjutsu while helping her to find her real self three years ago.

"He may be a kinjutsu, but he's different to her. He's a dream eater, a being that can eats people's dreams and nightmares," Ikari stated.

"Her?" Yori replied.

"You know who, Yori Yukisaki." the yokai mentioned.

Yori realized that Ikari was talking about.

"You know Megami?" he implied.

Yumekui heard Yori with a sudden surprise as he realized that he knew his onee-san.

_"Yori-san knew Onee-sama?"_

"I never knew a boy like you would have the ability to use true darkness." Ikari commented Yori.

Yori surprised that Ikari knew about the true darkness.

"If you know her, that means..."

"Yes, I also have true darkness." he answered.

Yori never knew that there was another user who can control true darkness.

"I would like you to hand him over to him. You do know it's dangerous for him," he explained.

"Dangerous?"

"He shouldn't have come here. If he did, he will might get killed by the Akuma Akumu," Ikari answered.

Much to Yori's shock, that Yumekui shouldn't suppose to come here for some reason. He began to fight Ikari after hearing the reasons about Yumekui.

"I won't let you take Yumekui!"

Ikari noticed that Yori won't give Yumekui to him. He took his katana out and landed on the ground as he prepared to fight him.

"I see. Then you let me no choice."

"Yumekui, stay back." Yori told Yumekui to get away from the beginning of the battle.

The young boy nodded as he moved back. He became worried as he was about to watch the battle.

"Yori-san..."

Yori summoned his dark katana and went towards Ikari. He slashed at the yokai, only that his attack was blocked. Ikari began to slash Yori as well, only the Inyo shinobi dodged the attack. As they kept fighting, Ikari destroyed Yori's dark katana completely. As he destroyed the dark katana, he kicked Yori back. After being kicked, Yori landed on ground. Yumekui became shocked that Yori got attacked.

Yori was about to stand up, only to be threatened by Ikari's blade in front of his face.

"If you really want to live, then hand over Yumekui to me," Ikari complied.

"No, I won't," replied Yori, desperately.

Ikari knew that Yori won't hand over Yumekui to him. He began to raise his katana, preparing to kill Yori. However, interference got in his way.

"Don't!"

He stopped his katana and noticed that Yumekui stopped him.

"Don't kill him... Please. I... I'll go with you," said Yumekui.

Yori became shocked after realizing that Yumekui was doing this for him. Ikari knew that Yumekui surrendered himself for Yori's life.

"I see. You decided to surrender yourself for him," Ikari stated.

The young boy nodded silently after not wanting Yori to get hurted.

"Yumekui..."

"I don't want you to get hurt, Yori-san. I'm sorry..." apologized Yumekui.

"Why? You can't go with him! Don't do this!" Yori protested.

"I have to. You don't understand, Yori-san," explained Yumekui. "Ikari-san's right, I'm not human. I'm just a dream eater, a being who can eat dreams and nightmares from humans."

Three years ago, Yumekui was created by Yokami in the Seirei village before he abandoned his hideout.

"Three years ago, when I was created, someone made me as a dream eater. I was taken care by his two acquaintances after he created me and suddenly disappeared. Back then, I was asleep for the whole time. I woke up three years ago and was used to eat humans' dreams and nightmares after their death."

Yokami left Yumekui in care of Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi. During that time, Yumekui was sleeping inside a glass capsule.

"I'll leave Yumekui to you, Orochimaru." said Yokami.

Yokami was the Sannin of the Inyogakure. He wore a black changshan, long gray pants, and martial artist shoes. He had a long gray hair with his bangs covered his left eye.

"Are you sure?" Orochimaru asked.

"I'm sure you'll test this boy's special abilities, Orochimaru." the Inyo Sannin answered.

He went towards an unconscious girl, wearing a white cloak, and carried her in his arms.

"When the time has come for Megami, you'll look after her by the time being, Orochimaru." he complied to Orochimaru as he was about to leave.

Ten years later after Yokami's departure, Yumekui woke up from his creation slumber as the glass capsule suddenly opened itself, making him to come out. As he came out, his sky-blue eyes became blank after his awakening, thus becoming emotionless. Kabuto noticed that Yumekui had finally awakened.

"You're finally awaken, Yumekui." Kabuto complied.

"Yumekui?" the boy replied his name.

"It's your name. Someone who created you gave you that name, Yumekui." he explained.

"Who are you?" Yumekui asked.

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi. Orochimaru-sama ordered me to look after you."

After his awakening, Kabuto experimented Yumekui by using him to eat Orochimaru's test subjects' dreams and nightmares after their death. He became amazed after seeing Yumekui's ablities as the dream eater. He also had the ability to see dream visions. Days passed since the awakening, Yumekui was sitting on the bed alone in his room. Suddenly, Kabuto came to his room as he opened the door.

Right now, he's wearing a white Chinese blouse with blue butterflies as his texture, white long pants, light blue sandals.

"Kabuto-san..." Yumekui noticed.

"Can you come with me, Yumekui?"

Yumekui nodded acceptably. He went with Kabuto to a private meeting room where Orochimaru was at. As they entered, Yumekui noticed a young girl with a white hime-cut, wearing a black yukata with a white sash around her waist.

"Orochimaru-sama, who's this boy?" she asked, curiously.

"Your ototo-chan, Megami. He was created by your chichiue just like yourself." Orochimaru answered.

"My ototo-chan?" Megami replied.

Yumekui became surprised as well after hearing that Megami was his created onee-sama.

_"She's my onee-sama? And she was created as well?"_ Yumekui noticed.

"This is Yumekui. He's a dream eater who can eat humans' dreams and nightmares." Kabuto explained.

"A dream eater? How interesting." Megami smiled after knowing about her ototo-chan.

She went towards her ototo-chan and gave him a smile, kneeling down before him.

"Although you're my ototo-chan, you can call me Onee-sama." she complied.

After meeting his onee-sama Megami, Yumekui was collecting white camellias from the tree at the waterfall. As he finished gathering the camellias, he began to leave. However, he noticed a butterfly with a crimson color. It fluttered away down to the bottom of the waterfall and Yumekui began to follow it while carrying the white camellias in his hands.

As the young dream eater followed the crimson butterfly, he saw Megami standing on the water, watching the crimson butterflies around her. One of the crimson butterflies landed on Megami's finger, wrapping its wings slowly.

"Megami-onee-sama."

She heard someone calling her and turned around, noticing her ototo-chan come here.

"Oh, Yumekui."

She walked towards Yumekui from the water along with her butterflies around her. After walking out of the water, Megami noticed white camellias in Yumekui's arms.

"What are those, Yumekui?"

"White camellias," he answered.

"White camellias, huh?" She took one of the flowers and watched with amaze. "This flower's your favorite, right?"

Yumekui nodded.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"Kabuto-san told me about you after I met you. Is this true that you're a kinjutsu?"

Megami surprised as her ototo asked her about her as a kinjutsu.

"Yes, I am a kinjutsu. I found out about myself when I found an abandoned laboratory. After finding about myself, I ended up destroying a village that was near by our chichiue's hideout." she answered.

Yumekui never knew that Megami would destroy a village after realizing about herself. He became speechless after listening to his created onee-sama's story.

"Shocking, isn't it?"

"I guess so..." he replied.

"But... I'm not the only one who found about myself. I had someone who helped me back then."

"Someone?"

She nodded. "It's been a long while since I left him after I found about my true self. And right now, I believe he hates me that I betrayed him."

After Megami told about herself and someone she mentioned, Yumekui wondered about themselves.

"Megami-onee-sama... Do you think that we're different to humans because we're not human at all?" asked Yumekui.

Megami laughed at her ototo's question with glee. "Different? I wonder," she answered. "Being created by chichiue, I guess humans are afraid of us after all."

"Afraid of us..." he replied.

"I was told that humans are afraid of us because we're not human and I believe you might hate me as well..." he stated, finishing telling Yori about his past.

"Hate you? What do you mean?" Yori asked.

"It's because... Megami... is my onee-sama."

Yori became shocked that Yumekui was Megami's ototo.

"You're Megami's..."

He became silent after Yori realized.

"This is enough. Now you know about this boy and Megami-sama, I would like to take him with me right now." Ikari exclaimed. "Let us leave, Yumekui."

"Okay," Yumekui replied as he nodded.

Suddenly, as the two were about to leave, Yori got up and used his true darkness. Ikari became shocked that Yori tapped his true darkness. Yumekui became shocked as well after seeing Yori's true darkness.

He went towards in front of the surprising young boy as he prepared to fight Ikari once again.

"I don't hate you. I never knew that you're her ototo-chan. You told me that I can't give up on protecting someone who is important to me. That's why I have to protect you as well." Yori exclaimed.

"Yori-san..." Yumekui surprised.

The yokai samurai took his katana out, knowing that he'll fight Yori once again.

"So you wish to protect him despite that he tried to risk himself for your life. Then I have to defeat you by force."

The second battle had just begun. Will Yori defeat the last Tengu yokai before finding his twin sister?


	38. Chapter 37: A Promise's Determination

**Chapter 37: A Promise's Determination**

Somewhere on the west side of the bamboo forests, Yoji fought Rika and Pana's nightmare selves after Rika refused that the two were them. He and Ifrit dodged the ninja tools with dark aura. Yoji commanded Ifrit to turn into his chakrams and threw them at the dark ninja tools, destroying them completely. After destroying the ninja tools, Yoji was ambushed by Pana's nightmare self and blocked her attacks. However, Pana's nightmare self gave him a blinded strike on his chest, sending him flying.

"Yoji-san!" Rika cried.

Yoji's chakrams transformed back into a flame demon Ifrit and caught him from landing on the ground. Ifrit put its master down after saving him and returned back into its orignal form.

"Give it up already! You can't defeat us." Rika's nightmare self exclaimed.

Yoji panted, realizing that their true darkness were very powerful and intense unlike his six former nightmares.

"I won't give up, there's no way I can lose." he replied.

"Then you leave us no choice," said Pana's nightmare self.

The two nightmare selves attacked Yoji altogether; Rika's nightmare self summoned a dark bo staff and Pana's nightmare self using taijutsu. Yoji blocked and dodged their attacks respectively, but no avail. Suddenly, Rika's nightmare self switched her weapon and summoned a dark kusarigama and threw at Yoji, restraining with the chain.

_"Damn it!"_ he thought. _"I can't use my chakrams right now."_

"Hmph. You think you can defeat us. I don't think so." Pana's nightmare self scoffed at Yoji.

"Stop it... Just stop it..." Rika cried as her tears came out from her heterochromia eyes that are blue on the left and brown on the right.

"Don't tell me what to do. Besides, you're nothing to me." The ninja tool nightmare self explained to Rika.

"She's not nothing! You can't lash at her like that!" Pana exclaimed as she became angry.

"Well, what about you then? Isn't it tough to be alone?" Pana's nightmare self asked.

Pana became shocked that her nightmare self asked about herself when she was an orphan back then.

"You had no family and no place for yourself. You tried to survive desperately until you met Shaolin who took you in. However, she disappeared back then, but despite that, you kept that promise that she'll return someday," Pana's nightmare stated. "That promise is nothing to me."

"That's not true. Shaolin-nee-san returned even Seirin-san since we met Yume." Pana exclaimed to her nightmare self. "I'm not alone! I have friends as well.

"Do you really care for them? Not even having sympathy as an orphan from every people you confronted? You can't escape this kind of pain and loneliness no matter what."

Pana became shocked after hearing her nightmare self's words and hesitated at the moment.

"Pana..." Rika worried.

"When Tou-san disappeared, I was looked after by Seiichi. Kaa-san died when I was a child before Tou-san disappeared. I was alone all the time," Rika's nightmare self explained. "It's hard to be alone back then! I hate it so much!"

Rika became speechless at her nightmare self's painful words.

"You two. You're just like me," said Yoji. Rika and Pana became surprised as they heard Yoji's words and looked at him. "That lonely feeling. Losing my parents to war, trying to survive, being taken care by Seirin-shisho and Shaolin-shisho, and everything. I left Inyo to find them, but I ended up captured by Otogakure and became a missing-nin for three years. But, thanks to Yume, I was glad that they came back. You remember that promise, right, Rika? You told me I could meet them again."

"That promise?" Rika suddenly realized that she told him to come with them once they find the others who were separated. "That's right. We'll come back to Inyo once we got together."

Rika's nightmare self realized shockly and lashed out at her, "Are you out of your mind?! Do you even know what you're doing?! If Yume comes with you without completing the game, you'll be dead!"

"I don't care if anything happens to me, Pana, Seiichi, Kuta-kun, Tsukida-kun, and Yori-kun. I want us to be happy without loneliness and pain. That's why... this promise is our determination!"

Rika wiped her tears and stood up strong. Pana smiled.

"Let's do this, Pana. Together."

"Yeah." Pana replied.

The two kunoichi focused their chakra to each other and became unleashed them.

"Chakra no Kyomei!"

Their chakras resonated each other and the two kunoichi prepared to fight their nightmare selves. Rika used her ninja tool scroll and summoned a barrage of kunai with explosive tags at her nightmare self, much to her shock. She let go of her kusarigama, releasing Yoji as he was about to back away. The explosive tags activated and the explosion appeared, however Rika's nightmare self survived from the blast. Rika ambushed her nightmare self from behind and attacked her with her bo staff. The ninja tool nightmare self tried to dodged and blocked the attacks, but with no avail.

As the nightmare self lost her strength, Rika prepared her ninja tool technique with her two ninja tool scrolls to end the battle.

_"Everything changed since Pana and I met Yume from Konoha. Tou-san and Shaolin-san came back from a mission from three years ago. Our dreams came true. So I can't lose to my other self no matter what!"_

She opened her ninja tool scrolls and summoned many kinds of ninja tools with strings to her fingertips. She raised them up into the sky, aiming at the ninja tool nightmare self.

"Sogu: Arashi no Konran!"

She directed them down at her nightmare self and finished her off. Rika's nightmare self became shocked as soon as the ninja tools came towards her.

"This can't be happening!"

The ninja tools struck the nightmare self completely, ending the battle.

Meanwhile, Pana attacked her nightmare self with her taijutsu as her chakra was resonating. Then she gave her a blinded strike at her chest and prepared her final attack.

_"I'm not alone anymore. It's all thanks to Yume. Shaolin-nee-san returned. My promise was fulfilled back then. That's why I'll end this painful sympathy right here and now!"_

"Zessho: Mekuraken no Kuro Ryu!"

The dark taijutsu nightmare self flew backwards and landed on the ground, thus became defeated. As Rika and Pana's battle had ended, the two nightmare selves' true darkness were suddenly faded away, returning back to normal. As they were back to normal, they stood up quietly and didn't say anything.

Yoji surprised that Rika and Pana defeated their nightmare selves with their collobartion technique together. He smiled after the two battles ended. Rika and Pana confronted them as they went towards them.

"You're right," Rika complied.

"Yeah," Pana agreed.

"You're really us." they said to their nightmare selves together.

After they accept them, the two nightmare selves smiled and nodded to them, and then they became two light orbs and went within them.

"We did it, Pana." she smiled.

Yoji went towards the two kunoichi after they accepted their nightmare selves.

"Thanks, Yoji-san. If you didn't encourage us, we couldn't defeat our nightmare selves then." Rika thanked him.

"We should get going. We need to find Yori," Yoji explained.

"He's right. We have to find him as soon as possible." Pana agreed. Suddenly, Rika noticed someone coming out from the bamboo trees. "What's wrong, Rika?"

"Someone's coming out from the bamboo trees," she answered, pointing at the other side. As the figure came out, a young boy collapsed after running so quickly. "Hey, are you alright?!"

The two kunoichi went towards the boy and Yoji suddenly noticed as he knew him.

"Yumekui?"

Rika and Pana became surprised as Yoji realized him.

"You know this boy?" Pana implied.

After they encountered Yumekui, the young boy opened eyes and noticed he found Yoji, while his former name was Ryoji.

"Ryoji."

"Huh? Yoji-san, he called you that old name of yours." Rika complied.

"Yoji-san?" Yumekui replied.

"It's my real name," Yoji answered. "Just call this name from now on, Yumekui."

"Okay"

"You okay?" asked Rika. "You sure ran so quick when we saw you."

He nodded at Rika. Yumekui began to notice the Inyo forehead protector around Rika's forehead. He knew that the two kunoichi were Yori's comrades.

"Please. Please help Yori-san..."

Rika and Pana surprised that Yumekui knew about Yori.

"Where is he?" Pana asked.

"He's fighting Ikari-san, but I'm worried he can't defeat him."

Yoji became shocked that Yori was now fighting Ikari.

_"Ikari's fighting Yori, but why?"_ he wondered with a confused look. "We better go find out. Yumekui, can you take us there?"

"Okay." he nodded.

They left and went to the Yori and Ikari's battlefield in a hurry. Later at the lake on the east side of the bamboo forest, Yume became speechless and had lost for words. What had happen to the Ally of the Byakugan after she met the Nightmare Seeker?


	39. Chapter 38: The Ally and the Goddess

**Chapter 38: The Ally and the Goddess**

Yori was still fighting Ikari while using his true darkness. His attacks were simply dodged and blocked by Ikari. Before their battle started once again, Yori instructed Yumekui to flee away in the beginning of the battle. Right now, Yori began to worry about Yumekui.

_"I hope he'll be all right."_

Suddenly, six Akuma Akumu ambushed Yori, much to his sudden shock. As they interfered the battle, Yori started fought the six Akuma Akumu by himself. He quickly defeated the six Akuma Akumu after the interference during the battle.

After Yori defeated them, the six nightmare shinobi appeared before Ikari.

"What are you doing here?" Ikari asked.

"Do you really have to ask that question? We're just looking for you, that's all." Netami answered with a displeased look.

Yoku suddenly noticed as he saw Yori once again. "I never knew I would bump into you again," he said.

Yori never knew that he would bump into Yoku again.

"Yoku, you know that shinobi?" Taidana asked.

"Yeah and he's getting a payback for an ambush from the last battle."

"Don't get in my way, Yoku." Ikari threatened.

"Hey, why not? It's a six against one battle after all." Yoku explained.

"I don't need your assistance during the battle." the yokai stated.

Suddenly, Kuzuri sniffed on Yori and noticed that he had the true darkness like the rest of the nightmare shinobi as he became shockly confused.

"Huh? That's odd. That shinobi has true darkness like the rest of us!"

The four nightmare shinobi shocked when Kuzuri explained that Yori had true darkness as well.

"Hey, you're kidding, Kuzuri? You have to be kidding!" Netami exclaimed.

"No, I'm not kidding! I can tell by sniffing their chakra, remember? He does have it!"

"Kuzuri's correct. Yori Yukisaki have true darkness. He's the first person who obtained it before us." Ikari stated.

Yori began to realize when Kuzuri mentioned true darkness with a sudden surprise and shock. "Don't tell me... You're all have true darkness as well?"

"Yes, the other five have true darkness. We obtained this power because Megami-sama chose us as the strongest shinobi. We're known as the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares." Ikari stated.

"The Seven Shinobi of Nightmares?"

"We're a group lead by Megami-sama. We also control Akuma Akumu as well. Three years ago, she created this land and those monsters." the yokai explained.

Yori became shocked that Megami created the Akumu no Kuni and the Akuma Akumu three years ago after her defection from Inyogakure. He became enraged as he tapped his true darkness with fury, showing the six shinobi with sudden shockly surprise.

"Kuzuri was right! He does has true darkness!" Taidana complied.

"But how? He's not one of us!" Netami implied.

"True, but he has connection to Megami-sama." Ikari stated.

"What?!" Taidana, Kuzuri, and Netami shocked.

"Is this true, Ikari?" Joyoku asked. "If he's connected to Megami-sama, then how?"

"He's the first person received that source before she chose us."

"First person?" Yoku asked. "What do you mean?"

Ikari didn't answer as he yet became silent. "Don't get in my way. I have to defeat him sooner or later." he told them as he drew his katana once again.

Later, somewhere on the east side, Yume became quiet just now after encountering the Nightmare Seeker.

Before he left, Yume confronted the Nightmare Seeker and drew her katana as she began to fought the Seeker. The battle continued until Yume suddenly destroyed the Seeker's blank mask, showing his face to her. However, after his blank mask was shattered, Yume became shocked as she saw his face.

"What?! That face... It can't be. His face looked like Kai-sensei."

The face she saw was the same face as her sensei Kai Kurosaki.

"Who are you?" Yume asked. "You look like someone I know..."

The Nightmare Seeker suddenly felt his head in pain as his hand clutched it. Looking at Yume, he saw her from three years ago as the genin. After that, the pain in his head disappeared despite that he can't remember who was this kunoichi from three years ago though it was Yume.

"I'm the Nightmare Seeker, but I can't tell you my name." he answered. "I'm here to warn you, challenger of the Seven Stages of Nigtmares."

Yume became shocked after realizing that the Nightmare Seeker knew about the game.

"Warn me? How do you know about the game?" she asked.

"I'd seen many challengers failed to complete the game for three years. However, if you did not complete the game and leave the Akumu no Kuni, there'll be a consequence."

"A consequence?" she replied with confusion.

"The Inyo shinobi who came here to rescue you. They'll die if you go with them and did not complete the game." he warned.

Yume became shocked that Yori, Tsukida, Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana will die if she didn't complete the game. After her encounter with the Nightmare Seeker with his real face was shown, Yume was lost for words as she don't know what to do.

"If I leave now, they'll die..." she said to herself. "What should I do?"

"If you don't want them to die, then complete the game."

She heard someone telling her and encountered someone she just noticed before. The one she encountered was Megami, the person she saw from the fifth stage.

"You! You're that person from the fifth stage." she realized.

She chuckled with delight as Yume noticed her from the fifth stage.

"So you remember? Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Megami, the leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares." she introduced herself to Yume.

Much to Yume's shock, she realized as the person she met was Megami, the former kunoichi of Inyogakure and a "kinjutsu". She began to use her katana as she was about to fight Megami after encountering her.

"I'm not here to fight you, Yume. Of course, you still have one more stage to complete." Megami stated.

After hearing Megami that she did not came here to fight her, Yume put away her katana with her slight confusion. Something bothered her was that Megami told her to complete the nightmare game if she don't want Yori and the others to die.

"Why are you telling me to complete the game if I don't want my comrades to die?" she asked.

"Yori-kun and the others are outsiders. Should the challenger did not complete and leave this land with the outsiders, those outsiders will die. After all, you looked worried."

Yume became shocked when Megami mentioned her twin brother.

"You know Yori?"

"Yes, three years before my defection. Yori-kun helped me to find my true self." she answered.

"Your true self?" Yume replied. She remembered that Tsukida explained about Megami before defection and knew that her true self was actually a kinjutsu. "Is your true self a kinjutsu?"

"Well... I believe Tsukida-sama told you about me. To tell you the truth, I'm not human because I was created." Megami answered.

Yume became shocked that Megami was created. "You're created as a human? That's impossible."

"I know. That's how I became a kinjutsu and I wasn't human like the rest of them. My chichiue created me."

"Your chichiue?"

"The one who created me was actually Yokami, the Inyo Sannin and a missing-nin." Megami answered.

Yume became shocked that Yokami created her. She never knew that Yokami created Megami as an uncanny kinjutsu.

"Yokami... created you."

"Since my chichiue was killed by you when he failed to destroy Inyogakure, you and I have the same fate to fight each other." she explained.

Yume never knew that Megami was created by the deceased Inyo Sannin. Sixteen years ago, Musashi Hyuga, their chichiue, fought and defeated Yokami until he commited a fake suicide and disappeared until Yume stopped his plans to destroy Inyogakure.

"The same fate to fight each other..." replied Yume.

"Just like your chichiue Musashi Hyuga defeated my chichiue before he made a fake suicide sixteen years ago. That's why we're chosen to fight each other." Megami stated.

The Ally of the Byakugan became silent after meeting Megami and realizing that she was chosen to fight her just like her chichiue fought Yokami sixteen years ago.

"Our final stage will decide sooner or later." she complied to Yume. "But let me give you one warning, don't die that easily or should I say do not become a prisoner after you fail to complete the game."

Yume became confused that she will instead become a prisoner after failing to complete the game.

"I'll become a prisoner? What do you mean? I won't die? I don't understand!"

Megami chuckled deviously. "Do you really think you'll die like the rest of the former challengers for three years?" she complied. "Eversince this game wasn't completed for the first time, this rule is unrevealed to my nightmare shinobi except for you."

"An unrevealed rule?" Yume replied with confusion.

"Once you fail the nightmare game, you can't escape while becoming Kabuto-san's puppet and prisoner."

Yume became shocked that instead of being killed during the game, she will become a puppet and prisoner of Kabuto Yakushi. Her face became confused with fright after finding out what will happen to herself as the challenger.

"You're... wrong. There's no way..." Yume refused the fact about her fate as the current challeger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"I'm not wrong. If you really want to find out, then go ask Kabuto-san," Megami began to disappear within the crimson butterflies. As she disappeared, she told her one last thing. "Come to my castle, the Crimson Butterfly Castle. Once you're there, you'll be ready for the final stage."

As Megami's voice lingered away after disappeared, Yume realized that she must go the Crimson Butterfly Castle. However, the sixth stage won't summoned the door to the final stage after the completion.

_"The Crimson Butterfly Castle..."_ she thought.

She began to wonder about her fate if she fails to complete the game, becoming Kabuto's prisoner and puppet. Her hands gripped with confusion. Suddenly she heard a sudden quake somewhere and activated her Byakugan. Using her Byakugan to find what happened, she suddenly saw her twin brother fighting against Ikari and the five nightmare shinobi were here as well, watching the battle. After she found Yori, she suddenly noticed the dark aura within him much to her confusing shock.

_"What is that? This black aura..."_

Yume quickly ran to the battlefield after finding Yori and the six shinobi of nightmares.

During the battle between Yori and Ikari, Yori panted as he felt weak after overusing his true darkness. He began to knelt down on the ground.

_"Damn it... I used my true darkness too much."_

"This ends now." Ikari prepared his final attack on Yori as he raised his katana, ending the battle. However, as Ikari was about to end the battle, a wind slash interfered him and the yokai tengu dodged away after noticing the wind release technique.

"This technique!" Ikari noticed after dodging.

After the interference of the battle, Yume appeared before Ikari and the five shinobi, much to their surprising shock. Yori never knew that Yume came to save him just in the time as he became surprised.

"Yume..."

"You okay?" Yume asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Yori nodded as he stood up.

Ikari suddenly noticed the two shinobi of Inyo and Konoha's appearance and began to understand, "I see. You two are twin siblings from two different shinobi villages because of those eyes."

The five shinobi of nightmares became shock when Ikari stated about Yume and Yori as twin sibilings.

"No way! Despite those two are shinobi from different villages, that's crazy." said Taidana.

"Yume, stay back. I'll end this battle as soon as possible." Yori told her.

"Yori... Forgive me..." Yume replied.

Yori became confused and turned around to her, only to see his twin sister used her chakra no mesu on him, rendering his body immobile. His body landed on the ground after Yume immobilized him.

"Yume? Why?" Yori asked with confusion.

"I don't want you and the others get involved. I don't have any other choice," she answered. "I'm sorry, Yori."

She began to perform a genjutsu on her immobilized twin brother, summoning white feathers around him. Yori's eyes watched the white feathers around him and they became dazed as they slowly closed themselves.

"Yu...me..." Yori became unconscious after he was trapped in Yume's Nehan Shoja no Jutsu.

Ikari realized that Yume placed a genjutsu on Yori.

"To think that you placed a genjutsu on your twin brother, why would you do that?" he asked.

"I don't want Yori and the others get involved. If I did not complete the nightmare game, he and the others will die although they are outsiders." she answered to Ikari's question. "That's why I have to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. I don't want to see them die in front of me. I have to complete the final stage, so take me to the Crimson Butterfly Castle."

Yoku, Netami, Taidana, Kuzuri, and Joyoku shocked that Yume requested to take her to the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

"You can't request us to take you to the castle," Netami exclaimed as she refused Yume's request.

"Netami, it's all right. I believe she's ready for the final stage. Although Yume Yukisaki already completed the six stages, we have to accept her request." Ikari stated.

"But!"

"Netami, Ikari-san's right. We have to take her, we're already defeated after all." Taidana stated.

Much to the nightmare ninja tool kunoichi's dismay, she reluctantly agreed with Ikari. "Fine."

Ikari summoned the door to the Crimson Butterfly Castle and it began to open itself. The six shinobi went and entered the door as Yume looked at the unconscious Yori before she enters the door. After seeing him with guilt, she entered the door to the Crimson Butterfly Castle as she prepared for the final stage of the Nightmare Stages of Nightmares. As the door disappeared, a shadow figure came towards the unconscious Yori.

The figure who appeared was actually the nightmare self of Yori Yukisaki.


	40. Chapter 39: True Darkness's Eternal Sin

**Chapter 39: True Darkness's Eternal Sin**

As Yoji, Rika, Pana, and Yumekui came to the battle where Yori and Ikari fought, they noticed that Yori was nowhere to be found.

"Huh? I don't see Yori-kun just now." Rika looked around.

Yumekui became confused that Yori was supposedly fighting Ikari. "That's impossible. Yori-san..." he said.

"Something's not right just now." Yoji explained.

"What do you mean?" Pana asked.

Yoji pointed at the other side where there was a burnt village. Rika and Pana became bewildered after seeing a village that was burnt down. Yumekui noticed that village wasn't shown here during the battle between Yori and Ikari.

"That village. It wasn't there during Yori-san's battle." he stated.

Rika and Pana noticed surprisingly when Yumekui explained about the burnt village.

"Are you sure, Yumekui-kun?" asked Rika.

He nodded. Suddenly, his eyes became dazed, showing Rika and Pana sudden shockly surprise. As his eyes were now dazed, he saw Yori at the burnt village in his dream vision, only seeing to the back of Yori. After receiving the dream vision, Yumekui became speechless.

"Hey, you okay?" said Pana.

"Yori-san... He's here. He's at the village right now." he answered.

"Huh? Really?! That village we just found?" Rika asked. "How do you know?"

Yoji realized that Yumekui had a dream vision about Yori somewhere in a village that they found. He began wondered if Yori was really here in the burnt village.

"Let's go. We're going to find him if he's really over there." he convinced.

Rika and Pana nodded, agreeing with Yoji. They began to enter the village and tried to look for Yori. Meanwhile, Team Tsukida were still searching for Yori as well, however to no avail.

"Man... No sign of Yori somewhere here." said Kuta, much to his dismay.

"We can't just give up yet. I'm sure he's somewhere around here." Seiichi replied.

"I hope the others will find him as well." Kuta hoped.

As they kept looking around, Kuta noticed as he saw a burnt down village.

"Hey guys. Over there, that village in ruins."

They came the village in ruins and looked around.

"From the looks of it, this village was burned down," Seiichi stated as he analyzing the village.

Tsukida became quiet after finding a village that was burned down as he began to realize at the moment.

"This village..."

Seiichi and Kuta realized that Tsukida noticed about the village.

"You know about that village, Tsukida?" Kuta asked.

Tsukida nodded.

"This village we just found was the Seirei village."

"The Seirei village?" Seiichi replied.

"It's not only just a coincidence to me. This village was destroyed three years ago. Remember that Akuma Akumu tailed beast explained about this land and those shadow monsters Akuma Akumu?"

"Yeah, I remember that. Megami-sama created the Akumu no Kuni and Akuma Akumu." Kuta answered.

"Ayumu-san explained about the Akumu no Kuni before we began our mission. This land with nightmares has many different kinds of places." Tsukida stated. "From I can answer about the Seirei village here in the bamboo forest, is whether or not that this village is part of the Akumu no Kuni."

"So how do you know about the Seirei village, Tsukida?" Seiichi asked.

"It was three years ago when I had a mission about the Seirei village," Tsukida answered with guilt. "I guess I have to explain about the destruction of the Seirei village. Three years ago, you and Kuta had a mission with Hibari-sama while I had a mission with Yori, Megami-sama, and Yoshiro-sama. Our mission about the Seirei village was to get rid of the enemy shinobi. According to the Seirei village chief, he stated that their villagers were kidnapped by the enemy shinobi during nighttime. However, after we somehow managed to get rid of the enemy shinobi, there was a major incident, the destruction of the Seirei village."

"No way..." Kuta became shocked. "Does that mean..."

"It wasn't the enemy shinobi who destroyed the Seirei village. The one who destroyed this village... was Megami-sama."

"Megami-sama destroyed this village?" Seiichi replied with sudden shock.

"That mission was forced to become a failure due to the destruction of the Seirei village. We managed to save the few surviors of the Seirei village and took them to Inyogakure."

"So after this village was destroyed by Megami-sama, she disappeared?" Kuta implied.

"That's correct. To think that Megami-sama created this nightmare land and the Akuma Akumu, I believe that the ruins of this village in this land is somewhat part of her memories from three years... " Tsukida complied.

"What do you mean, Tsukida?" Seiichi asked.

Tsukida hesitated when Seiichi asked. He didn't answer the question as he became silent.

"You okay, Tsukida? You look in pain just now." Kuta asked as he became worried.

"It's nothing. I'm all right. I never knew that I would see the ruins of this village again..."

"Tsukida..." Kuta replied with a sad look on his face.

Suddenly, Rika, Pana, Yoji, and Yumekui saw Team Tsukida as they bumped into them while searching for Yori.

"You guys." Kuta surprised. "What are you doing here in this village just now?"

"Well, before that, did you find Yori-kun yet?" Rika asked.

"No luck, but we're still finding him." Kuta answered. He noticed Yumekui was with Rika, Pana, and Yoji as well. "Who's this kid?"

Yumekui stayed behind Yoji as he became shy when meeting Tsukida, Kuta, and Seiichi.

"This is Yumekui-kun. He's Yoji-san's friend." Rika answered.

Yumekui timidly greeted Team Tsukida. "N-nice to meet you..."

"I'm Kuta. This is Seiichi and Tsukida Yukisaki." Kuta introduced himself with Seiichi and Tsukida to Yumekui.

"Did you find Yori yet?" Seiichi asked Rika, Pana, and Yoji.

"Not yet. Yori-kun might be somewhere in this village." Rika answered.

Tsukida became shockly surprised after Rika answered that Yori was somewhere in the ruins of the Seirei village.

"Yori is here... in the Seirei village?" he implied.

"The Seirei village?" Pana asked.

"Well, the Seirei village is right here." Seiichi answered.

Tsukida became disquiet that Yori may be somewhere in the Seirei village.

"It can't be just coincidence... To think Yori is here somewhere in this village..." he stated. "Are you sure he's here?"

"We looked anywhere in this village, but we can't find him." Pana answered.

"Speaking of which, how do you know that Yori's here in this village?" asked Tsukida.

"Now that you mentioned..." Rika replied as she realized.

Yumekui began to answer Tsukida's question although he did had a dream vision about Yori. "Um... Although you're wondering about Yori-san, I don't know whether or not he's here in the Seirei village. To be honest, I'm kinda positive because of my dream vision of him here in this burnt village."

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became surprised that Yumekui explained it was because of his dream vision.

"Whoa! Hold on! You have an ability of having dream visions!?" Kuta implied.

Yumekui nodded. "I don't know how to put this, but I always have that ability to have and see dream visions ever since."

"So you're just like Ayumu-san and Kaito-san. Those two also have that ability of seeing dream visions as well." Rika explained to Yumekui.

"I see." he replied. Suddenly, Yumekui became surprised as he noticed Yori. "Yori-san?"

Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji turned around and saw Yori as well. They came towards him after finding him.

"Yori-kun, you're okay." Rika became relieved.

"We're been looking for you all the time." said Kuta.

After finding Yori in the ruins of the Seirei village, Yoji, however, became suspicious as he realized that something wasn't right. As Yori turned his head at Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, Yoji, and Yumekui, he began to run away from them, much to their sudden shock.

"Hey! Yori!" Kuta shouted after seeing him running away from them.

"Something's not right." said Yoji. "We better go after him right now. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Bad feeling?" Rika replied. "What do you mean, Yoji-san?"

"After we found Yori, I noticed that something isn't right. I hate to tell you guys about that, but I don't think that wasn't Yori at all."

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became shocked and confused after Yoji answered that wasn't Yori for some reason after they found him.

"I know Yumekui had a dream vision that Yori appeared in the Seirei village ruins. Right now, there's no time to explain about why. We have to go after him right now. My only guess is the real Yori is somewhere else."

The Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui went after "Yori" and encountered a cave.

"He went in there. I wonder what's inside..." Kuta wondered after encountering a cave.

"Let's go." Yoji began to make a fireball floating on his right hand as they were about to enter the cave.

Somewhere, inside the cave, Yori was still yet unconscious until he began to regain his consciouness as he opened his eyes. Right now, after he regain consciousness, he noticed he was in a different place. Last time he remebered was that Yume put a genjutsu on him after she rendered him immobile wit her Chakra no Mesu. He looked around and noticed that Yume and the six nightmare shinobi wasn't here after he was unconscious at that time.

"Where am I? How did I get here? Back then, I was unconscious." he said to himself. He stood up and noticed the current location with sudden surprise and yet shock. "This place..."

The place he knew was an abandoned laboratory from three years ago.

"Remember this place? This is where Megami found her true self three years ago."

He heard someone and the figure appeared. It was none other than a nightmare self of Yori. He became shocked after seeing the person who's resembled himself.

"Who are you...?!"

"I'm you. Your nightmare self." he answered.

While Yori confronted his nightmare self, Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, Yoji, and Yumekui came the laboratory and found him and his nightmare self.

"Yori!" Tsukida shouted.

"I knew it. The other Yori we found back then is his nightmare self all along." Yoji realized.

"I see you have follow me all the way to here. To think you found me at the ruins of the Seirei village, I never knew that you know I'm his nightmare self."

"What is this place? I never see this before." Rika wondered.

"This place is an abandoned laboratory used by someone who was once a former shinobi of Inyogakure." Yori's nightmare self stated.

"A laboratory?" Kuta replied.

"This is where Megami found out her true self after destroying the Seirei village and killed the villagers." he explained. "Her true self made her realize. She wasn't born, but she was created by someone else right before she was taken to Inyogakure where she became an Inyo shinobi until what happened right here."

Rika, Pana, Kuta, and Seiichi became shocked that they found out that Megami was created as a kinjutsu.

"Megami-sama was created here in this lab?!" Kuta shocked.

"Three years before the destruction of the Seirei village, Megami and I came here and found out that this laboratory was abandoned. We didn't find any clues until Megami found out on her own." he answered. "That's when she realized about the laboratory and her true self."

"Megami-sama's true self...?" Pana asked.

"She didn't find her true self by herself... I helped her three years ago."

"Stop it! I... I made a wrong choice back then." Yori shouted at his nightmare self.

"Wrong choice? For three years, you left Inyogakure after that incident. No matter how I forget that incident and Megami, it's useless... nothing but an eternal scar that can never heal. Face it. I'm you and you're me. You have proof after all for helping Megami to find her true self."

"Proof?" Tsukida implied. "What do you mean proof?"

"I'm the first one who obtained that special power given by Megami," Yori's nightmare self answered, using his true darkness around his body.

Yoji became shocked as he never realize that Yori's nightmare self has true darkness.

"You have true darkness." he complied.

"I'm his nightmare self. After all, he's the first person who receive this power: true darkness given by Megami herself."

"True darkness?" Tsukida asked.

"Since Megami is a kinjutsu, true darkness is part of her and she can also give true darkness to those who have a relationship with her. Thus, I'm the first one who received true darkness. It's all because I helped her to find her true self." he answered.

Yori clutched his head and shook his head in pain after all what happened for three years. "Stop it! Stop it! You're..."

"Yori! Don't!" Tsukida shouted, realizing that Yori was about to refuse his nightmare self.

However, it was too late.

"You're not me!"

Yori's nightmare self's true darkness began to become more powerful.

"There's no way... you can't forget about Megami! No matter how you ever try to forget her!"

True darkness engulfed Yori's nightmare self and transformed into a dark powerful Akuma Akumu as he became more shadow-like.

"I am a nightmare... The true self. I will destroy those who are in my way, starting with you."

"This isn't good..." Kuta noticed.

"We don't have any choice. We have to take him down!" Yoji exclaimed. "Yumekui, look after him."

"Ok," Yumekui nodded as he stayed with Yori.

"Get ready! Don't let your guard down!"

"Right!" The Inyo shinobi prepared themselves to fight.

The battle against the nightmare self of Yori Yukisaki has begun.


	41. Chapter 40: A Dream Eater's Dark Self

**Chapter 40: **A Dream Eater's Dark Self****

Kuta and Pana went towards the Akuma Akumu nightmare self of Yori, attacking with their taijutsu. But nonetheless, the nightmare self blocked their attacks and counter-attacked Kuta and Pana severely. Pana and Kuta flew backwards and landed on the wall, knocking them out.

"Pana!"

"Kuta!"

Seiichi and Rika yelled with shock together after seeing them defeated already.

With enraged, Seiichi and Rika used their ninja tool scrolls and used their collaboration technique together, summoning their ninja tools.

"Soshi Ranbu!"

Their ninja tools shaped into two Chinese lions and attacked the nightmare self, however, he repelled Seiichi and Rika's ninja tool shaped-like form with his Kuro Ryuken while using his true darkness.

The nightmare self's Kuro Ryuken also counter-attacked Seiichi and Rika as well, thus defeating them as well. Tsukida and Yoji realized that Yori's nightmare self became too strong against them.

"Yori's nightmare self. It's too strong against us." Tsukida noticed while sensing a power dark aura.

_"His true darkness is part of his chakra. It supports and strengths the shinobi's chakra with Megami's source,"_ Yoji stated. "We can't give up until we try, Tsukida."

"Right." the Yukisaki heir agreed as he nodded.

Yoji and Tsukida attacked with their signature weapons at the nightmare self, but only letting their weapons to be blocked by the latter.

"I have enough of blocking your attacks." the nightmare self became annoyed after blocking the attacks. "I have to take you down."

His true darkness overwhelmed the Inyo shinobi and Yoji, forcing them down on the ground.

"What's going on?! I can't get up all the sudden." Kuta noticed his body can't get up.

"Our bodies... We can't move!" Seiichi explained with shock, struggling himself and trying to move his body.

"It's useless to struggle. You can't resist my true darkness."

He began to finish his opponents off, however Yori interfered.

"Stop it!"

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji surprised that Yori stood up against his nightmare self.

"Stop it. Don't kill them in front of me!"

"Yori-san..." Yumekui suprised.

"I guess I change my mind..." his nightmare self said. "Then I have to kill you first!"

The nightmare self quickly towards Yori, much to the Inyo shinobi and Yoji's shock. They're unable to save Yori quickly when they cannot to move after the nightmare self's true nightmare overwhelmed them.

"Yori-kun!" Rika yelled.

However, as the nightmare self tried to kill Yori, Yumekui protected in front of Yori.

"Yumekui!" Yori shocked.

Yumekui protected Yori as his aura around his body that appeared to be his chakra. The unaware young boy unleashed his chakra at Yori's nightmare self.

"This chakra? What kind of chakra of this?" the nightmare self analyzed with shock and confusion. "Is this chakra belongs to him?"

"Yumekui! What are you doing?!" Yoji asked with confusion after seeing him using his chakra unawarely.

Yumekui gave a sudden confusion yell while unleashing his chakra at his nightmare self. With that, the nightmare self's true darkness was overwhelmed by Yumekui's unknown chakra and became defeated as his Akuma Akumu shadow-like form was now gone. Yumekui began to faint a little as Yori caught him in his arms and Yori's nightmare self returned to normal as he laid down with a blank look from his face.

Yoji and the Inyo shinobi got up after the true darkness, who overwhelmed them, had disappeared and they went towards Yori and Yumekui.

"Yumekui-kun!" Rika yelled.

"Yumekui, are you all right?" Yoji asked.

"I'm okay. I didn't know that I have chakra all along. I don't know what happened, but I think I used my chakra while I protected Yori-san." Yumekui answered.

"Yumekui..." Yori realized.

"I can feel your pain, Yori-san. I somehow understand, the pain you tried to forget what happened back then. I know it's hard to forget what happened from the past. But you stood up while you tried to save Yoji and your friends, right?"

Yori realized that he doesn't want his nightmare self hurt his cousin, his friends, and Yoji while watching the battle. Yumekui stood a little after he recovered himself after unleashing his chakra. Yori went towards his defeated nightmare self as he was about to face him. He gave a hand to his nightmare self, helping him to stand up.

"Three years ago, I left Inyogakure when I found out about true darkness I have. Yoshiro-shisho explained it about true darkness and how to control true darkness without letting it control me against my will. To be honest, I don't want to use true darkness because I might hurt those who are important to me if my true darkness will control me." Yori explained. "My own true darkness... I want to get rid of it, but I can't because I helped Megami to find her true dark self. That's why... I have to accept that you're really me."

His nightmare self began to fade away as it became Yori's true darkness as the latter received and accepted the power.

"You okay, Yori?" Tsukida asked.

"Yeah. My nightmare self... is part of my true darkness all the along." Yori replied with pity.

"We understand how you feel, Yori-kun. So don't keep blaming yourself." Rika complied as she cheered him up.

"Yeah. We're with you, Yori. We're your friends." Kuta exclaimed.

"Everyone..." Yori realized. "Thanks."

Suddenly, the abandoned laboratory had changed different. The laboratory was now different before it was abandoned.

"The laboratory! It's different!" Rika realized.

"What's happening? What's going on?" Kuta looked around at the different version of the laboratory.

"This laboratory... This must be before someone abandoned this place." Yoji explained.

Pana noticed four shadow figures in front of them. Three of them were standing while the fourth one was leaning against the wall.

"Look!"

"Who are they?" Rika wondered.

Yoji tried to find out who were the three figures and the fourth one. Two figures he noticed were the ones he realized and knew.

_"Is that... Orochimaru and Kabuto?"_ Yoji realized the shadow appearances of the two. _"Then who's the third figure that they're talking with just now?"_

After seeing the three figures finished their conversation, the third one other than Orochimaru and Kabuto took the fourth figure with him and left the laboratory.

Orochimaru and Kabuto went towards the glass capsule. Inside, there was a boy sleeping. Much to the Inyo shinobi and Yoji's sudden shock, they saw Yumekui sleeping. He was wearing a white yukata while he was asleep.

"Hey, isn't that...!?" Kuta noticed the boy inside of the glass capsule.

After seeing the two shadows of Orochimaru and Kabuto and the sleeping Yumekui inside of the glass capsule, the laboratory returned to its original state, the place that was abandoned with broken glass test capsule and research papers appeared over the ground and the table in a messy way.

"That boy..." Rika wondered with sudden confusion. "Could that be...?"

Yoji checked on Yumekui, only to see the latter became shocked, speechless, and yet also confused after what he just saw.

"Yumekui? What's wrong?" he asked as he went towards Yumekui.

"That was me. I was sleeping inside of the glass capsule the whole time back then. Then this laboratory..."

"Yumekui-kun?" Rika worried.

"You finally remember this laboratory," a voice suddenly appeared and a dark shadow appeared behind Yumekui.

Yoji shocked and took Yumekui away from the dark hidden shadow. As the dark shadow appeared before the Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui, the figure was actually a nightmare self of Yumekui.

"What? You're..." Yumekui shocked.

_"That's impossible. Yumekui's nightmare self?"_ Yoji noticed.

"I am a nightmare... The true self." Yumekui's nightmare self complied.

"Is this really Yumekui-kun's nightmare self?" asked Rika.

"My nightmare self?" Yumekui replied.

"I was born from him when he was once an emotionless dream eater," Yumekui's nightmare self stated.

"Dream eater?" Tsukida replied.

"You don't know about him. Especially you don't know why I was sleeping in the glass capsule in this laboratory." Yumekui's nightmare self explained.

Yori began to realize that Yumekui was the second one who created in this laboratory before Yokami left and abandoned this place.

"Wait! You don't mean... that Yumekui was created in this laboratory before his awakening," Yori implied to the nightmare self of Yumekui.

"Yes. I was sleeping during the creation and yet I did not open my own eyes until I was ten years old."

"Yumekui-kun wasn't human like Megami-sama?" Tsukida asked with shock.

"That is correct. I wasn't human just like my onee-sama."

"Yumekui-kun's onee-sama?" Rika implied.

"Yumekui... is Megami's ototo although they are created together." Yori answered.

Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana became shocked when Yumekui is Megami's created younger ototo.

"I'm not a kinjutsu just like Megami-onee-sama. I was created as a dream eater, giving an ability to eat humans' dreams and nightmare. However, once I ate their dreams and nightamres, their lives end in a tragic way."

"Stop it..." Yumekui begged his nightmare self, telling Team Tsukida and Rika and Pana not to explain about his true nature.

"Tell me this question. How come you're not emotionless anymore while you were not very reluctant to eat dreams and nightmares back then?" the nightmare self of the dream eater asked.

Yumekui hesitated after being asked by his own nightmare self. "I..."

"It seems like you're not emotionless anymore. You've been changed since you met Yoji three years ago. But you're different to him, you're just a dream eater and not a human like the rest of them."

"You're wrong..." Yumekui refused with sadness. "I may be not human, but I'm still human like the rest of them."

"Still human? Trying to discard your former emotionless personality doesn't make you more human. You can't change the fact that you're different to humans." the nightmare self of the dream eater exclaimed.

"That's not true. Yumekui isn't different like the rest of us. I understand how he feels, but you can't rant those painful words about him!" Yoji yelled at Yumekui's nightmare self.

""Painful words? Those words are the truth. Humans are afraid of me because of my ability."

"The ability to eat humans' dreams and nightmares, ending their lives..." Yoji realized.

"That's right." replied the dream eater's nightmare self. "I'm not only come here to hurt myself. There's another reason that I'm here."

"Another reason?" Yumekui replied.

"I'm only here to tell the Inyo shinobi other than you and Yoji. Shinobi of Inyogakure, I have just only one request for you. This is important to you and your sakes."

"Our sakes? What are you talking about?! What do you mean it's _important_?" asked Kuta with bewilderment.

"You shouldn't be involved in the first place. This request I will about to give you... is to give up on your priority mission."

"Give up our priority mission?" Rika replied.

Yori began to wonder about their priority and suddenly realized that their priority mission was rescuing Yume Yukisaki.

"You're telling us... to give up on rescuing Yume? Is that your reason to tell us?" he asked after noticing that Yumekui's nightmare self demanded them to abort their mission to rescue Yume.

The Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui became shocked when Yori realized that the nightmare self of Yumekui came to tell the Inyo shinobi to give up on rescuing Yume.

"That is correct..."

"I refuse." Yori refused Yumekui's nightmare self's offer. "I'm not giving up on this mission."

"Yori..." Tsukida realized.

"If you keep on continuing your mission, there will be a consequence you'll face." the nightmare self of Yumekui complied.

"A consequence. What consequence?" Seiichi asked.

"I have no right to tell what is it."

Rika began to realize that the consequence they will face was their death when her and Pana's nightmare selves told her about saving Yume and being outsiders.

_"The consequence that we'll facing is this because..."_ she thought, realizing.

"If you keep refusing my request, then you leave me no choice..."

The nightmare self began to take all the shadows of the Akuma Akumu and covered himself with many of them. As the shadows covered the nightmare dream eater, they kept growing very enormous.

"What's going on?!" Kuta shocked after seeing the nightmare self turned something vast and awe.

"Let's get out of here! Hurry!" Yoji exclaimed as he carried Yumekui in his arms.

They escaped the abandoned laboratory and came outside, only to see the different dimension instead of the ruins of Seirei village.

The different of kind of a dimension was now different to the other dimensions in the Akumu no Kuni. This dimension had floating souls and the emptiness and bottomess black lake.

"Hey! What's going on?! We're not in the Seirei village anymore!" Kuta confused after seeing a different location.

Yumekui began to realize these souls and this world.

"This world..."

"Yes, this is our dream and nightmare world." said the nightmare self of Yumekui as it finally appeared before him and the Inyo shinobi.

Yumekui's nightmare self, after absorbing the shadows of Akuma Akumu, became its true form. The nightmare self became dark Chinese mythcial chimera with an elephant's trunk, no eyes, an ox's tail, and tiger paws.

"Your dreams and nightmares will end your life, shinobi of Inyogakure!"

The nightmare self of the dream eater Yumekui had became a baku who eats dreams and nightmares. Will the Inyo shinobi and Yoji must face the nightmare self of the dream eater's wrath?


	42. Chapter 41: Yumekui's Important Dream

**Chapter 41: Yumekui's Important Dream**

After Yumekui's nightmare self became a nightmare baku, the baku began to suck with its trunk all the floating souls and the remaining waters from the endless black lake. The Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui became shocked as they were about to be pulled by the nightmare baku. As they stood still from being swallowed by the baku, Yumekui suddenly became pulled from Yoji's arms, much to their shock.

"Yumekui-kun!" Rika yelled as she watched Yumekui being dragged.

Yoji began to take Yumekui's hand from being pulled by his nightmare self in his true form of a baku.

"Yoji..." said Yumekui.

"Don't let go!" Yoji told him while holding his hand very tightly.

However, Yumekui's hand slipped from Yoji's grip and was swallowed by the baku, much to their extreme shock.

"Yumekui! Yumekui-kun!" The Inyo shinobi became shocked after seeing the dream eater became swallowed by the nightmare baku.

The baku stopped sucking the souls and Yumekui, leaving the Inyo shinobi and Yoji the only ones.

"You monster!" Yoji became enraged after seeing the nightmare baku swallowed. "Give him back!"

"He and I are the same. He's different from you and the rest of the humans." the baku exclaimed.

"That's not true. Yumekui's not different! I can understand how he feels," Yoji exclaimed. "He's the same as us no matter how he is!"

"Yoji-san." said Rika with surprise.

"You don't even understand when formerly being emotionless. A dream eater who don't have _emotions_." said the baku. "Listen. Listen to the voices in my dream and nightmare world."

"Voices?" Yori replied with confusion.

Suddenly voices appeared out of nowhere in the baku's dream and nightmare world.

"That boy... He's a monster..."

"He destroys people's lives while eating their dreams and nightmares!"

"He shouldn't have the right to live!"

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji became shocked after hearing those hurtful words about Yumekui and his true nature as the dream eater.

"Yumekui-kun..." Rika shocked.

"A monster?" Tsukida implied. "Does that mean..."

"Yeah. It's because he's a dream eater." Yoji realized with pity after hearing the humans's words.

Yori and the others became speechless after hearing the painful words from the humans who were dead when their dreams and nightmares were eaten by Yumekui.

"After hearing those painful words, I didn't feel hurt when they ranted about me. That's why I don't have those emotions all this time!" said the baku as he became enraged.

It began to summon the seven Akuma Akumu in the images of the Inyo shinobi and Yoji.

"No way! His nightmare self can summon the Akuma Akumu!" Kuta shockly surprised.

The seven Akuma Akumu attacked their orignal opponents respectively. The two Akuma Akumu in the images of Seiichi and Rika summoned their ninja tools at the two Inyo ninja tool shinobi as they dodged them away.

The two other Akuma Akumu attacked Pana and Kuta as they exchanged punches and kicks, beginning the battle.

Tsukida fought the Akuma Akumu with in his own image as they clashed with their Yoshiyuki together. Yori fought his Akuma Akumu opponent as well with only using his taijutsu.

The Akuma Akumu in Yoji's image began to summon Ifrit in the form of the Akuma Akumu as well as they began to fight Yoji. Yoji began to hesitate before starting the battle while he also began to worry about Yumekui, who was now trapped inside his nightmare's self as the baku.

_"Yumekui."_

Somewhere in the unknown mist, Yumekui found himself alone as the mist moved away. Right now, he stood on the black water.

"Where am I?" He looked around as he realized there's no one here. He noticed as he saw his nightmare self in front of him, only to see him a half of his nightmare self as his right side of his body was missing. "You're still here?"

"You will disappear into nothingness soon."

"Huh?" He felt something empty and noticed with shock as he saw his left side of his body began to fade away slowly. "What?! No! Why? Why?"

"You're not the same as the humans to begin with. Those humans hate you for what you've done to them."

"That's not true! I have those who can understand me!" Yumekui exclaimed. "Yoji. Yori-san. And everyone else."

"Then why? Why do you have others to understand you?" he asked.

"Because they're my friends!" Yumekui answered with strong confidence. After answering his nightmare self's question, Yumekui's whole body stopped fading away all the sudden.

"Friends...?" Yumekui's nightmare self replied after hearing the answer.

"I may be not human like the rest of them, but some of them I met understand me! They don't hate me!" Yumekui explained as he began to shed his tears from his sky blue eyes for the very first time.

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji defeated their Akuma Akumu opponent and noticed the baku began to howl in pain with sudden confusing shock.

"What's going on?" Rika asked.

"The baku is in pain?" Pana noticed the reaction of the baku.

The baku began to fade away and the dream eater and the baku's dream and nightmare world began to disappear soon, returning the Inyo shinobi and Yoji back to the orignal dimension. Yoji and the Inyo shinobi found themselves back to the bamboo forests in the Akumu no Kuni.

"Huh? We're back." Seiichi noticed as they were returned to the Akumu no Kuni.

"Wait, where's Yumekui-kun?" Tsukida asked.

They tried to look to find Yumekui and found him and his nightmare self in front of them. They went towards the two and Yoji carried the unconscious Yumekui in his arms. Yumekui began to open his eyes, noticing that everyone were here for him. The Inyo shinobi sighed in relief after realizing the dream eater is safe and well.

"Thank goodness." Rika relieved after seeing Yumekui all right.

"Geez. You made us worry like that. We thought you're a goner," said Kuta, as he wiped his tears.

"We're glad you're okay, Yumekui-kun." Tsukida smilied.

"Everyone." Yumekui replied as he became surprised.

Yori noticed Yumekui's nightmare self began to shed tears from his crimson blood eyes, much to his bewilderment.

"Hey, look at his nightmare self." Yori replied.

They noticed that the eyes of the dream eater's nightmare self became tearful.

"He's crying," Tsukida surprised.

"I never saw a nightmare self cry before." Kuta complied.

Yumekui stood up slowly and began to realize, "I understand now. While I was unconscious after begin taken by my nightmare self in the form of a baku, I have that same dream all the time when I'm sleeping even before my awakening."

"A same dream?" Yoji replied.

The dream eater nodded. "I had this same dream so many times. I believed it was an important dream. A dream where I won't be alone and I want to be accepted by others. For now, my dream did came true. You and the others are important to me."

"You mean you want to be friends with us?" Kuta inquired.

"Yes. I hope you understand who I am and how I feel before I discarded my former emotionless feelings."

Yoji laughed with a smile and patted on the dream eater's head. "Of course we understand you. When I first met you, I'm your first friend, right Yumekui?"

Yumekui's eyes became surprised as he began to smile with tears came out. He nodded as he agreed with him. "You're right."

Suddenly, Yumekui's nightmare self began to glow and went into the latter. After that, Yumekui began to faint and became unconscious for now. Yoji suddenly caught him in his arms once again.

"I hope Yumekui-kun will be better once he'll wake up." Rika hoped.

"Yeah." Pana agreed with her.

As Yumekui shed tears of joy after he accepted his nightmare self, Kazekiri appeared as she found them.

"Kazekiri-san." said Tsukida.

The wind spirit kunoichi noticed that the Inyo shinobi and Yoji found Yori even she also noticed that Yumekui was here as well while he was unconscious for now.

"Is he all right?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah, he's unconscious." Yoji answered.

"What happened then?"

"We fought Yori and Yumekui's nightmare selves and we're all right after what happened." he explained.

"I see." Kazekiri replied. "Is everyone here?"

Rika noticed that Yume wasn't here right now.

"What about Yume?" she asked Kazekiri.

Kazekiri shook her head at Rika.

"I don't think she's here anymore..." she answered.

Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji realized that Yume wasn't here in the bamboo forest. Yori knew what happened to Yume after he was unconscious as he became silent with concern.

Later, the six nightmare shinobi and Yume finally arrived at the Crimson Butterfly Castle, a Japanese-style castle with many crimson butterflies fluttering around. Yume noticed this is the place she should go.

_"This is the Crimson Butterfly Castle."_


	43. Chapter 42: A Suicide Mission

**Chapter 42: A Suicide Mission**

After Yume and the six shinobi of nightmares arrived, Ikari took her to the bedroom in order to rest before preparing to complete the last stage. As the tengu samurai showed her to the bedroom and Yume entered, he began to close the door.

"I'll come back later. You should take a rest, Yume Yukisaki," said Ikari as he closed and locked the door and left.

Yume sat on the bed after she found herself alone. Right now, her face became hesitant and concerned.

_"I managed to complete six stages and I must complete the last stage soon. But..."_

The Ally of the Byakugan remembered that she'll become a prisoner and puppet instead of not getting killed as the result of failing to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. She knew the words from Megami after encountering her from the last stage.

"Do you really think you'll die like the rest of the former challengers for three years? Once you fail to complete the nightmare game, you can't escape while becoming Kabuto-san's puppet and prisoner."

Yume became disquiet after learning that she will become his prisoner if she did not complete the nightmare game. She began to lay down on the bed, falling asleep.

Later, Ikari came to a Japanese garden, seeing his other comrades were here right now.

"Hey, Ikari. You didn't answer about that boy who has true darkness." Yoku mentioned to the yokai.

"You mean Yori Yukisaki?" Ikari replied.

"You said that boy is connected to Megami-sama." Netami complied. "He's not one of us after all despite having true darkness like us."

"That's true. He's the reason that Megami-sama found her true self." answered Ikari.

"The reason?" Taidana replied.

"It's because Yori-kun helped me find my real self back then before I chose you all."

The six shinobi noticed that Megami had return as she appeared within crimson butterflies.

"Megami-sama!" Netami surprised after seeing her return.

"Long time no see! It's been three years for now." Kuzuri complied with delight.

"Good to see you again." said Taiadana with a short yawn.

Megami chuckled after seeing her six nightmare shinobi once again. She began to wonder about Yumekui.

"Ikari-san. Is Yumekui-kun here?" she asked

Ikari shook his head and answered, "He ran away. I can't find where he is when my Akuma Akumu reported the results."

"I see." she replied.

The five shinobi of nightmares noticed when Ikari and Megami mentioned about Yumekui.

"What about that young dream eater?" Joyoku asked.

"I was told to retrieve Yumekui in the Akumu no Kuni, who was with Yori Yukisaki. However, he escaped when our second battle was about to begin."

"You mean you were fighting the second time with that Inyo shinobi?" Netami implied.

"Yes," the yokai nodded.

"Then what happened to Yori-kun? You didn't kill him, right?" Megami implied.

"I didn't kill him under your order, Megami-sama. However, I didn't defeat him for the second time." Ikari answered.

"That challenger knocked him out and used her genjutsu on him," Netami explained to Megami.

Megami realized that Yume doesn't want her twin brother and the other Inyo shinobi get involved though they're outsiders of the game.

_"I see."_ she chuckled as she smiled grimly.

Later, at the bamboo forest of the Akumu no Kuni, the Inyo shinobi were informed by Kazekiri that Yume wasn't here anymore.

"Yume's not here right now?" Yoji implied with a slight confusion look.

"But do you know where is she right now?" Tsukida asked.

Kazekiri shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't tell where's her current destination," she answered "For now, we must return back to the real world. It's Ayumu-sama's order. She told me to retrieve you all after you found Yori."

With that, they returned back to Ayumu's dream shop in the real world. After they returned, Yumekui was looked after by Kazekiri and Asaka as he's in bed. Yoji and the others were at Ayumu's chamber of dream doors after summoned by Ayumu.

Ayumu smiled that Yoji had returned after meeting him once again.

"Good to see you, Yoji-kun."

"Eh? Ayumu-san, you know Yoji-san?" Tsukida asked with surprise.

"Yoji-san's an Inyo shinobi like us," Rika answered to Team Tsukida and Yori. "And also, he's tou-chan and Shaolin's student."

Team Tsukida and Yori became surprised that Yoji's also an Inyo shinobi and a student of Seirin and Shaolin.

"Really?!" Kuta surprised as his eyes became widen.

Pana nodded.

"How are they? I heard they came back after their three year disappearance." Yoji asked Ayumu.

"They're fine. They are also aware that you were looking for them. The Third Inyokage told them that you didn't come back until now." Ayumu answered. "I hope you will see them again soon, Yoji-kun."

"Yeah."

"So what's going on, Ayumu-san? Is something wrong?" Tsukida asked.

"It's about the mission I gave you."

"You mean the mission to save Yume, right?" Yori realized.

"Yes, but I realized this mission is not important anymore. Unfortunately, saving Yume becomes a dangerous mission."

"A dangerous mission? What do you mean?" Seiichi asked.

"The reason I gave Kazekiri an order to bring you all back after finding Yori-kun is that we have no choice, but to abort the mission."

The Inyo shinobi realized that they had to abort the mission to rescue Yume.

"Abort the mission? But why?!" Yori asked with shock.

"I know it's hard to believe this, but it's for your own sake and life as well." Ayumu explained.

Rika finally noticed that Ayumu was aware that she knew about their dreadful fate.

"Ayumu-san, you know about this. You know what will happen to us if we rescue Yume and complete our mission, right?" she implied.

Team Tsukida and Yori became confused when Rika asked Ayumu about their mission.

"Yes..." Ayumu answered. "I believe your and Pana's nightmare selves told you about that reason. And especially you're aware the same thing when you encountered Yumekui-kun's nightmare self, Rika-chan."

"Rika, you know about this?" Seiichi implied.

Rika nodded sadly. "Our nightmare selves were telling the truth. We're nothing but outsiders," she answered.

"Ousiders?" Kuta replied.

"It means we're in their way while we're trying to save Yume. Even if we complete the mission after saving Yume, we will face our consequence." Pana answered. "Our consequence... is our death."

Team Tsukida and Yori became shocked that their mission became a suicide as the result.

"Our death..." Yori replied.

"That's why we have to abort our mission." Rika answered. "We can't save Yume..."

"I can't believe it." Tsukida shocked. "But why...?"

Yori began to realize about why as he realized the warning he was given by Unmei.

"The reason we're outsiders is that I... No... That reason is because we're interfering the game," he answered.

Much to Team Tsukida's confusion, they began to wonder why they're interfering the nightmare game.

"Game? What do you mean we're interfering the game?" Kuta implied with sudden confusion.

"I don't know what kind of game. I got that warning from Unmei after we got separated from each other when we came to Akumu no Kuni. We can't save Yume because we're interfering the game, that's what he said to me." Yori answered.

Yoji shocked when he heard the name Unmei Yori mentioned.

"You encountered Unmei?" he asked.

"You know that person, Yoji-san?" Rika implied.

"Yeah, I only met him in the Akumu no Kuni three years ago. From what I can tell, he's very powerful and he never show his face to anyone even me."

"His face?"

"Actually, when I saw his face after encountering him the first time, Unmei... has my face." Yori answered.

Yoji and the others became shocked that Unmei's face is the same as Yori's.

"Unmei's face is the same yours, Yori?" Tsukida implied.

"I saw his face with my own eyes. I'm not lying," Yori exclaimed. "He and I are the same..."

"The same?" Tsukida replied as he became confused when hearing from Yori cryptically.

"It's because Unmei has true darkness as me and I helped her and showed her the path to her true self three years ago."

"Yori-kun..." said Rika.

"Hey, the problem is what kind of game that we're interfering." Kuta mentioned.

"Actually, the game isn't one of the kind, Kuta-kun. This game is very dangerous." Ayumu stated.

"Why?" Tsukida asked.

"It's called the Seven Stages of Nightmares. That's the name of the game." Yoji answered.

"The Seven Stages of Nightmares?" Yori replied.

"From what I heard about the nightmare game, it's a game of life and death. The game has seven stages and the challenger or more must complete those stages in order to finish the game. However, there are opponents, the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and the Akuma Akumu."

The Inyo shinobi became shocked when Yoji explained about the Akuma Akumu and the nightmare shinobi.

"The Seven Shinobi of Nightmares?" Kuta replied.

Yori knew that Megami is the leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares after she chose her six shinobi and gave them true darkness like himself.

"You mean... Megami and the other six shinobi are part of the game?" he implied.

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana shocked after realizing that Megami and her other six shinobi were part of the nightmare game.

"That's right. The six shinobi are Ikari of the extinct Tengu clan, Yoku of the Ice Release, the ninja tool kunoichi Netami, the summoning expert of pahtera species Taidana, Kuzuri, and Joyoku. Those shinobi also have true darkness like Yori." Yoji stated. "They are given true darkness because of their loyalities to Megami."

Yori became silent after realizing about the six shinobi.

"So how did you know about the nightmare game, Yoji-san?" Tsukida asked.

"Actually, I was one of them. I was the challenger's opponent for three years. Megami chose me as the eighth nightmare shinobi and puppet leader and gave me the puppet name Ryoji, which I cast that name away from now on." Yoji explained. "I became her substitute for the game after she left me in charged of her group. From three years, no one didn't complete the nightmare game. The challengers, who failed to complete the nightmare game, were killed by me and the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares or the Akuma Akumu. The game is currently incomplete."

"Who would have created that nightmare game of life and death?" Seiichi wondered after realizing the challengers who killed after they cannot complete the game.

"One of the legendary Sannin of Konohagakure, Orochimaru created the nigthmare game because of Megami's creations, the land that doesn't exist in the reality Akumu no Kuni and the shadow-like Akuma Akumu. He became a host during the nightmare game. However, after realizing that game is incomplete, he abandoned it."

"After three years, the game is still continued." Yori exclaimed.

"But the host wasn't Orochimaru, the current host is a different one. He wanted the Seven Stages of Nightmares to be completed for good."

"Wanting Seven Stages of Nightmares to be completed?" replied Yori.

"In order to make the game complete for the first time, he needs a strong challenger to complete each stage."

"And that means... the current challenger is Yume," Rika answered with shocking concern.

Yori became shocked that his own twin sister is the current challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares. He began to realize that she doesn't want them to get involved as well. Team Tsukida became vastly shocked as well.

"Yume-san... is the current challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares," Tsukida became speechless.

"So that's why... Yume doesn't want us to get involved and has to complete the game..." Yori realized.

Yori gripped his hands tightly and began to decide what to do after realizing about the Seven Stages of Nightmares and his twin sister as the current challenger.

"I made up my mind... I can't give up that mission."

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became shocked after hearing Yori that he won't abort the mission.

"Hey, are you crazy, Yori?! What about your life? Your sake and life are important right now, not the mission!" Kuta exclaimed.

"I know. I know Yume doesn't want us to get involved, but I wanted to save her because I made my promise to myself and her. And..." Yori replied, only to stop himself from saying what's next.

Realizing about his true reason to himself, he walked away from his cousin and friends.

"Hey, Yori!" Kuta called, only to be stopped by Tsukida from chasing after him.

"Leave him alone, Kuta. I don't think Yori'll change his mind." he complied.

"Yori-kun..." Rika worried.

Yoji noticed and realized that Yori is Yume's twin brother.

"Yori is Yume's twin brother, right?" he asked.

"Yes, unlike Yume-sama, he doesn't have a Byakugan despite his eyes are white." Ayumu answered.

Yoji never knew that Musashi had a twin son after realizing this.

"Everyone. Although Yori-kun refused to abort this mission, I believe you're thinking the same thing, am I correct?"

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana surprisingly shocked after noticing that Ayumu knew their same thing as Yori.

"But if we did complete the mission, our lives..." Rika complied.

"I know how you feel and knew this consequence, Rika-chan. But I can tell that you're worried about Yume-sama." Ayumu stated. "If this is true, then I shall make one condition on your mission. You will save Yume-sama whether or not she completes the nightmare game."

"Really? We will save her once she completes the Seven Stages of Nightmares," Tsukida implied.

"I only believe that Yume-sama must complete this nightmare game right before she'll return to Inyogakure." Ayumu answered.

"Then, do you know where she is?" Pana asked.

"I had a dream vision just before you returned back. I should show you then," Ayumu began to close her eyes, showing the Inyo shinobi her dream vision.

The chamber room had turned into a different background. The Inyo shinobi looked at a bedroom in a Japanese-style castle and suddenly saw Yume with surprise and shock.

"Yume-san!" Tsukida noticed.

"Yume!" Rika and Pana cried.

Right now, Yume was asleep in the bedroom and until the dream vision vanished.

"That's all I foresaw. However, this place I saw is connected to the Akumu no Kuni in a different world." Ayumu explained.

"You mean you don't know which world where Yume is?" Rika implied.

"I don't have a door that leads to Yume-sama, to be precise."

"I know this place," Yoji answered. "There's one of the crimson butterflies fluttering in that room."

"You do?" Seiichi asked.

Yoji nodded. "Yume must be at the Crimson Butterfly Castle. I'm sure of it. I have a door that will lead to the castle," he explained. "I'll guide them to there."

"Very well, Yoji-kun. I'll inform Yori-kun right away." Ayumu complied as she went after Yori.

Meanwhile, somewhere at the autumn trees, Yori sat on the bench as he looked down on the ground with concern and yet a slight depressing look on his face.

"You're still wondering who kidnapped your twin sister, right, Yori-kun?" she asked.

Yori turned around and saw Ayumu coming towards him.

"Ayumu-san..."

"Whoever summoned those Akuma Akumu to kidnap Yume-sama wasn't Megami-sama. I doubt she would do that for kidnapping." she explained.

"I see. If it wasn't her, then who?" Yori wondered.

"I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. There's something I came to tell you. It's about the mission."

"The mission?"

"There's a way to avoid a deadly consequence. Should you avoid this situation, you must save Yume-sama once she completes the nightmare game."

"I'll save Yume... after she completes the nightmare game?" Yori replied with surprise and awe.

"I believe that's her plan as well. She has to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares without involving a consequence if not completing the game and leaving the Akumu no Kuni." the dream shopkeeper stated.

"So that's why..." Yori realized as he knew that she doesn't wanted him and the others get involved in the nightmare game.

"I understand how you feel, Yori-kun. If you really want to find out and save her, Yoji-kun will lead you and the others to the Crimson Butterfly Castle."

Yori suddenly noticed the name of the Crimson Butterfly Castle Ayumu said with a sudden shock. "The Crimson Butterfly Castle..." he replied.

"Hm. I see you knew that name before. Where did you heard of that name, Yori-kun?"

"It said to me... My true darkness. It kept saying it to me all the time even for three years." Yori answered.

A shocking truth was suddenly revealed. What was Yori's connection to the Crimson Butterfly Castle?


	44. Chapter 43: Infiltrating the Castle

**Chapter 43: Infiltrating the Castle**

At the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Yume looked at outside, watching the crimson butterflies after resting herself in bed. Just then, Ikari opened the door as he came to pick up Yume.

"It's time." he said.

Yume went with him as she left the room after watching the butterflies. After she left, Ikari closed the door. While walking with Ikari, she was taken to a door imprinted with crimson buttflies.

"You'll enter this door. You will also find out about the last stage." Ikari explained. "I'm sure you are ready."

After completing six stages of the nightmare game, she began to reply without hesitation, "I'm ready."

Meanwhile, outside of the castle, a door appeared all the sudden and opened by itself. Yoji and the Inyo shinobi came out from the door and arrived their destination.

"This is the Crimson Butterfly Castle?" Tsukida noticed.

"Yeah, this is it." Yoji answered.

"There are so many butterflies." Rika complied. "I wonder why Megami-sama created this castle with so many of them."

"Those crimson butterflies... are her trademark," Yori answered as he became tense.

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji wondered that something happened to Yori.

"You okay, Yori?" Tsukida asked.

"I'm fine. I'm alright." he answered. However, despite his answer, he never knew he would come here for the very first time. A castle with crimson butterflies appeared in his dreams with his true darkness kept repeating the name of the castle endlessly. _"I never knew... I would come here for the very first time."_

Before coming to the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Yori explained about his endless dream of the castle to Ayumu after realizing that his twin sister went to the castle.

"I see," said Ayumu with slight astonish. "I never knew your true darkness kept giving you dreams of that castle very endlessly."

"To be honest, for three years, I thought it's just a dream, but my true darkness refused the fact," Yori answered. "It told me that that castle is like my very own dream world. I have that dream... No. I have that nightmare world all this time because Megami gave me true darkness after I helped her to find her true self."

After his conversation with Ayumu the dream shopkeeper before his departure to the Crimson Butterfly, he knew that Yume was here in the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

"Yoji. You sure that Yume came to this castle, right?" he implied to him.

"I'm positively sure she went here because of Ayumu-san's dream vision." Yoji answered. "I saw one of those butterflies in the bedroom."

"If she's here in that castle, we should go in there as soon as possible." Rika complied.

"Yeah. But whether or not if she completes the game, we have to avoid that consequence," Yoji mentioned. "We have to let Yume to complete the game before we'll save her."

"That's right. We can't complete a suicide mission like that without letting Yume-san complete the game though we're outsiders." Tsukida stated.

"We better get in right now, but be careful, there are also Akuma Akumu lurking around in that castle. Before we're ready, let me ask one question. Are you all prepared?" Yoji asked.

Kuta smacked his right fist to his left opened hand. "What do ya think? Of course I'm ready! I say bring it on!"

Pana sighed with amusement after noticing her childhood friend prepared very quickly. "You're sure quite prepared in a hasty way, huh Kuta?"

"Well, it's now or never!" Kuta replied.

"I'm ready, too. I can't sit back and wait for Yume while being worried." said Rika. "I know our mission is dangerous, but I can't give up on Yume. She's our friend no matter what!"

"Even Yume-san's important to us, we're ready." Tsukida answered.

"Right." Seiichi answered as he agreed with Tsukida.

"All right! Team Tsukida is ready to go!" Kuta exclaimed.

"Yori, are you ready?" Tsukida asked, wondering about his decision.

Yori knew that he can't turn back even though he came to his destination from his dreams. He knew that he might be connected to the Crimson Butterfly Castle because he helped Megami three years ago. With that, he made his decision, "I'm ready."

Yoji smiled after the Yume Retrieval Team made their decison as they finally prepared to infiltrating the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

"All right, let's go!"

"Right!" Everyone replied to Yoji as they commenced their infiltration and went towards the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

Meanwhile, Kabuto noticed that the Inyo shinobi and Yoji arrived the Crimson Butterfly Castle with the crystal ball. He knew that Yoji guided them there despite he resigned as the puppet leader and the eighth nightmare shinobi.

"I never knew you would guide those uninvited guests from Inyogakure here, Yoji." Kabuto realized with dismay. He knew that he can't let them get in the way while interfering the game and began to devise a plan to stop them from saving Yume. _"If that's the case, maybe I should let them to take care of them. I'm sure they might be bored."_

Later, at the Japanese garden of the Crimson Butterfly Castle, the four shinobi of nightmares except Ikari and Yoku became bored after they were defeated by Yume and Yoji in the previous stages.

Netami threw her kunai at the tree with a bored look on her face.

"After being defeated, there's nothing else we can do." she displeased the fact that the six shinobi of nightmares were defeated for the first time.

"Come to think of it, it's our first time to be defeated by the current challenger." Taidana mentioned while laying on the tree branch.

"I don't care it's our first time for having our defeat ever!" Netami yelled at the sleeping shinobi.

"Now, now, Netami. There's no need to be displeased. Still, Megami-sama is the last and final opponent. Besides, there's no way that challenger will defeat her." Joyoku stated.

"I doubt that she can't defeat Megami-sama, Joyoku." Ikari answered.

"What do you mean, Ikari-san?"

"Yume Yukisaki is the kunoichi of Konohagakure and the Ally of the Byakugan from the Hyuga clan. The final stage may be intense and difficult if she must complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

"Will that challenger defeat Megami-sama?" Kuzuri asked while eating his onigiri.

"We shall wait and see. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

After talking about the final stage, Yoku, leaning on the tree by the kunai that Netami threw, noticed Kabuto came.

"I have a request for you. I know there's nothing else to do for you after you're defeated for the first time." he said.

"Huh, a request?" Netami replied.

"We have uninvited guests right now, the outsiders from Inyogakure." Kabuto explained.

The six shinobi shocked when they heard that the Inyo shinobi came to the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

"What?! That's impossible! There's no way outsiders would come here." Netami protested.

"Acutally, Yoji guided them here despite that he's the former eighth shinobi and the puppet leader." he stated.

"I can't believe it... That traitor," Netami became displeased after realizing that Yoji guided them to the castle.

"So you want us to stop them from interfering the game, right?" Yoku implied while leaning against the tree with his arms crossed.

"Yes. Try not to kill them. The Inyo shinobi are the challenger's allies."

Yoku scoffed it and replied, "If that's what you want us to take down them, then count me in. I'm getting tired of doing nothing."

Later, Yoji and the Inyo shinobi entered the Crimson Butterfly Castle and were on the first floor while fighting against the Akuma Akumu. After defeating the Akuma Akumu, they entered the second floor.

"Man, there are so many Akuma Akumu from the last floor. I hope we won't bump into them again here." said Kuta.

They noticed an Inyo Chou with black and white wings came towards them, notifying the whereabouts of Yume as it landed on Yoji's finger.

"Yume's heading to a chamber on the eighth floor?" Yoji noticed.

"Are you sure?" Seiichi asked.

"We have to go to the eighth floor and find out." Yoji replied.

They prepared to process to the next floor, however, something ambushed them unawarely.

"Hey, I can't move. Something caught me." Rika noticed as she saw her feet binded from something. "Are those vines?"

Yoji began to notice and realize that this castle don't have vines with sudden shock.

"Rika, cut them off! Those are not vines!" he told her.

"Huh? Those are not vines?" she implied. Rika used her kunai to cut them off to break free from being binding. After breaking herself free, Seiichi began to notice those, who binded Rika, were actually hair.

"Are those hair?" he noticed.

Suddenly, Joyoku appeared before Yoji and the Inyo shinobi with rage after realizing that Rika cut her hair while trying to bind her. "You cheeky brat! Don't you dare cut my hair like that!"

"You mean those are actual hair!?" Kuta shocked after finding out those are hair, who were binding Rika's feet.

"What are you doing here, Joyoku?" Yoji asked.

"Kuzuri and I have to stop you from interfering the game and proceeding to the next floor." Joyoku answered as Kuzuri appeared with her after her plan to stop them failed.

"Aw, it's too bad I can't eat them." Kuzuri complained poutingly.

"We can't kill them, Kuzuri. We have to take them down only." Joyoku replied.

"Who told you to stop us, Joyoku?" Yoji asked with a suspicious look after realizing they came to stop them.

"Oh, I'm not telling you. After all, you're not one of us anymore." she answered.

"What we should do?" Tsukida asked.

"Leave it to us." Kuta replied.

Kuta and Seiichi prepared themselves to fight Joyoku and Kuzuri.

"Kuta, Seiichi, are you sure?" the Yukisaki heir asked with sudden shock and yet surprise.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. We won't get defeated that easily." Kuta answered.

"You should go on ahead of us right now. We'll be right behind you." complied Seiichi.

"All right. Be careful." Tsukida replied.

"Got it." Kuta replied.

Noticing Yoji and the Inyo shinobi went ahead to the next floor, Joyoku used her hair to stop them.

"I won't let you!"

However, Seiichi summoned two dual dao, cutting Joyoku's hair from going after them. After cutting Joyoku's hair, she became enraged and regrew her short hair with her hair regrowth technique to her original long hair once again.

"Her hair just regrow after cutting it?" Seiichi asked with sudden shock.

"Careful. She has the ability to regrow her hair after it's been cut." Yoji warned Seiichi before heading to the third floor.

"You'll pay for cutting my beautiful hair. I hate those who tries to cut my hair!" Joyoku used her hair once again, attacking Seiichi, only he cut her once more with his two dao.

_"This battle will take a long while than I thought." _thought Seiichi.

"I gotta help Joyoku." Kuzuri noticed that Joyoku having a hard time fighting against Seiichi.

However, Kuta stopped him from helping Joyoku.

"You want to help that scary hag? Then you have to go through me first, fatso." Kuta provoked him.

"Hey! Don't call me fatso!" Kuzuri became angry after being provoked by Kuta. He began to perform his initial technique, turning into a flash ball. "Ninpo: Hakko Sensha!"

Kuta quickly evaded Kuzuri's technique endlessly while trying to fight his opponent. Seiichi noticed that Kuta already provoked Kuzuri. However not that Kuta only provoked Kuzuri, his provoke affected Joyoku after she heard Kuta saying a scary hag.

"Did he just call me scary hag? Once I'm done with you, I'm going to hurt him for calling me a hag!"

"I won't let you hurt Kuta." Seiichi replied, summoning so many ninja tools surrounding him and preparing to fight Joyoku alone from letting her attack Kuta.

Later, while Kuta and Seiichi fought Joyoku and Kuzuri, Yoji, Rika, Pana, Tsukida, and Yori finally arrived on the third floor as they kept going to the next floor.

"I hope they're okay back there," Rika worried about her older brother and Kuta.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be all right." Pana replied.

"Yeah, you're right." Rika nodded.

Suddenly, Yoji noticed that they are being watched and stopped.

"What's wrong, Yoji-san?" asked Tsukida.

"Just come out already. I know you're here to ambush us." Yoji demanded after noticing something suspicious somewhere in the third floor they were in currently.

After he demanded the ambushers to come out, Netami and Taidana appeared before them. Netami became dismay after noticing that they came to ambush them.

"Geez, I can't believe you notice this," Netami replied as she became annoyed after being noticed by Yoji.

Taidana noticed Rika and Pana with sudden surprise. "Hm? Hey, you're those two kunoichi from the third stage. I never thought we would bump into you again."

"You know those two?" Tsukida asked.

"We only met them after we found Yume and Yoji-san, who were having trouble with those two." Pana answered.

"If it weren't for you two, we could have kill the challenger and that traitor as well!" Netami replied.

"Yoji-san, Tsukida-kun, Yori-kun. Go on without us. We'll take care of them." Rika convinced as she prepared her ninja tool scrolls along with her partner Pana as well.

"But what about you two?" Yori asked.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. You have an important mission to complete. If we all attack those two together, it'll might be a waste of time." Pana stated.

"They're right. We need to get going." Yoji agreed with Pana and Rika.

"Yori, let's go." said Tsukida.

"We're counting on you then," Yori replied. "Be careful."

"We will." Rika replied.

Yoji and the two shinobi of the Yukisaki clan went ahead to the fourth stage, leaving Rika and Pana to handle with Netami and Taidana.

"I won't let you get away!" Netami threw kunai at them. However, Rika blocked Netami's kunai with her jian.

"You want to go after them?" Rika asked after defecting the kunai.

"Then you have to take us down first!" Pana exclaimed.

Later, somewhere in the sixth floor, this floor was currently all frozen with glaciers all the sudden and Yoku was sitting on his icy throne with his legs crossed and his right hand to his head on the arm rest.

He became dead silent, waiting for the first person who had true darkness. The person he's waiting for was, of course, Yori Yukisaki, the person who helped Megami her true and actual self. What was his intention while waiting for Yori Yukisaki on the sixth floor?


	45. Chapter 44: Infiltrating the Castle — 2

This chapter will about Yoji, Tsukida, and Yori continued to infiltrating the castle while Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana fought Joyoku, Kuzuri, Taidana, and Netami. Also, Yume encounters Megami once again right until being taken into the latter's memories where Megami first met Yori and finding her true self three years ago in the beginning of the chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 44: Infiltrating the Castle — 2<strong>

Yume, after entering the door with crimson butterflies, appeared in the hallway with many pillars endlessly. She kept walking and began to wonder about the last stage.

_"I wonder what kind of the last stage will be..."_ she wondered.

She knew that Megami is the final opponent she must face in order to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares completely. However, she stopped walking and wondered about her fate if she cannot complete the game. Her fate is, of course, to become Kabuto's prisoner and puppet.

_"I know Megami is telling the truth. I can't be dead like the rest of the challengers three years ago. But... I can't become his prisoner and puppet as well, I have to complete this game!"_

Suddenly, she encountered several crimson butterflies as they fluttered around her with sudden surprise. Crimson buttflies shaped into a sphere while surrounding Yume.

"Huh? What's happening?"

As she tried to escape, she felt another sudden pain and began to notice that her emotionless feelings took control of her. She tried to resist from being control by her own emotionless feelings, but with no avail. She knelt on the ground and panted while her emotionlesss feelings controlled her. While being controlled, she saw a shadow in the group of butterflies and appeared before her.

"Megami...?" she surprised as she encountered Megami once again.

Megami smiled at her and gave a hand to her. "Come with me, Yume."

Yume's eyes became dazed as she watched the crimson butterflies and Megami in a blur as she began to close her eyes while inside a sphere of crimson butterflies.

Shortly, Yume opened her eyes and shockly found herself in the different location. She looked around and noticed that she's on the water.

"Where am I?"

She saw another crimson butterfly fluttering towards the person with other crimson butterflies who was standing on a red Japanese bridge in a garden-style. A girl clad in a white Chinese sleeveless medium qipao with long white socks and martial artist shoes. The person was actually Megami when she was an Inyo kunoichi. Yume became shocked that she would encounter Megami from three years ago before her defection. Wondering the young Megami was looking at, she turned to the left side and became shocked. She saw someone she know only from three years ago. The person the Inyo kunoichi Megami encountered was none other than her twin brother, Yori Yukisaki.

"Yori...?" Yume replied.

"Yes, this is where I first met Yori-kun," Megami explained who was with Yume, much to her shockly surprise. "I only wanted to show you my memories three years ago where I met your twin brother, Yume. And also my dream."

"Your dream?"

"Otou-sama left me in Inyogakure ten years ago before I don't have memories of him and myself due to being created as human. After I became a shinobi, I had a dream about myself. I thought this is just a dream, but I only found out that I had to find my true self. I told Yori-kun his dream and he agreed to help me because it was important to me," she explained. "We had no clues or connections to my dream, until that day where I finally found my true self."

Suddenly, the crimson butterflies surrounded around Yume from seeing her twin brother and Megami three years ago. Yume found herself behind of a cave and suddenly saw a village burned in flames with shock.

"The mission was to protect the villagers of the Seirei village from the enemy shinobi. Yori and I found a cave right outside of the village. This cave was connected to me."

"You mean... you found your true self? Your true self's a kinjutsu, is that right?" she implied.

"That's correct. I found my true self is different and then I killed the villagers and destroyed the Seirei village. And after that, I came back to the cave to realize and remember my true self, different to every human even Yori-kun." Megami answered.

Suddenly, Yume saw Yori went entered the cave where Megami was and began to went after him.

"Yori!"

However, a familiar voice called to her from chasing after Yori, "Yume! Open your eyes. You have to wake up!"

She was suddenly being taken by someone else other than Megami or the crimson butterflies as her hand took by someone's. Yume quickly opened her eyes and found herself back to the Crimson Butterfly Castle hallway.

_"A dream? If that's the case, then why did Megami showed me her memories as a dream?"_ She looked around that Megami and the crimson butterflies were nowhere to be found after she woke up. She wondered that voice was actually Kai, who saved her from being trapped in a dream of Megami's memories from three years ago. _"Kai-sensei... did you save me?"_

She began to keep walking after encountering Megami and being saved by Kai.

Meanwhile, Yoji, Tsukida, and Yori fought the Akuma Akumu that were actually stronger than the first floor in the fourth floor and then proceeded the next floor after defeating them.

The fifth floor was outside of the castle and had a long bridge to the other side of the castle.

"Over there leads to the next floor, all we have to do is simply across this bridge to the other side," Yoji explained, pointing at the other side.

"Let's go," said Yori.

As they crossed the bridge, they suddenly encountered falling black feathers that were falling down from the sky.

"Huh? Black feathers?" Tsukida replied.

Realizing those black feathers, Yoji watched at the sky, noticing Ikari on the other side of the roof. He threw his chakram with his right hand at Ikari, only for the tengu yokai dodged it while flying. Yoji caught his chakram after Ikari dodged the attack.

"I won't let you pass even interfering the game." Ikari stated after landing on the bridge between in front of Yoji and the two members of the Yukisaki clan.

_"Is that a tengu yokai?"_ Tsukida thought after seeing Ikari's black raven-like wings.

"Yoji, you were right about me and my extinct clan. I do hate Inyogakure."

Yoji noticed that Ikari showed his great hatred towards Inyogakure to him and the two members of the Yukisaki clan.

"Thirteen years ago after the Third Shinobi World War, my clan attacked Inyogakure until falling by the hands of the Yukisaki clan. I was the thirteenth heir of my clan from that time," Ikari explained about his clan. "With the Yukisaki clan destroyed my clan, I was spared, thus becoming as the last survior and member of the Tengu. I vowed to destroy Inyogakure for my clan. After that, I joined Yokami, who also wished to destroy Inyogakure as well until he left. After his departure, I stayed in Otogakure and took orders by Orochimaru such as kidnapping the villagers from the Seirei village."

Yori and Tsukida became shocked when Ikari mentioned the Seirei village.

"You know about the Seirei village?!" Tsukida asked.

"Yes, Yokami first ordered me to abduct the villagers for his experiments before his departure when his two only experiments were sucess," Ikari answered.

"You mean Megami and Yumekui, right?" Yoji implied.

"Yes, the two created children of Yokami. After Megami-sama destroyed the Seirei village three years ago, I first joined her as part of her group. While meeting the six nightmare shinobi and you, Yoji, I hid my identity as a yokai," the tengu explained. "Right now, after realizing that you're an Inyo shinobi while seeing those dragons from the last stage, I will kill you as my traitor and former puppet leader, Yoji."

Ikari unsheathed his katana, preparing to fight Yoji. However, Tsukida stood behind Yoji and Yori as he was about to face Ikari, the last member of the Tengu clan.

"Yoji-san, Yori. Go on ahead of me," he told Yoji and Yori.

"But Tsukida..." Yori protested.

"Don't worry, Yori. I'll be fine. You and Yoji-san must save Yume-san once she'll complete the game. I'll handle with Ikari-san... After all, my chichiue spared his life back then."

Ikari became shocked that Tsukida's the son of Okami Yukisaki, the twelfth heir of the Yukisaki clan thirteen years ago.

"You're... the son of Okami Yukisaki?" Ikari asked.

"My name is Tsukida Yukisaki, the thirteenth heir of the Yukisaki clan and the son of Okami Yukisaki, the twelfth head of the Yukisaki clan." he introduced to Ikari as he drew his Yoshiyuki.

After Tsukida unsheathed the Yoshiyuki, Ikari noticed the Yoshiyuki, used by Okami Yukisaki thirteen years ago.

"So it is true. Okami Yukisaki must have given the Yoshiyuki to you." he stated.

"Tsukida..." Yori replied.

"Go! I'm counting on you, Yori! I know you can save Yume-san once she completes the nightmare game!" exclaimed Tsukida.

Yoji summoned Ifrit and rode on its back, taking Yori with him, much to the latter's surprise.

"Leave Tsukida to Ikari, Yori. Have faith in him," Yoji convinced Yori.

As Ifrit jumped over Ikari and Tsukida, acrossing over the long brigde and landing at the end of the other side. Yoji and Yori got off from Ifrit, who had returned to its orignal form of its master's chakrams, and began to proceed to the next floor. Before that, Yori turned at the middle and yelled to Tsukida.

"Tsukida, be careful!"

After that, Yori and Yoji left, leaving Tsukida to fight Ikari.

"So you let them go to the next floor." Ikari replied.

"I know Yori will save Yume-san once everything will be all right. For now, I won't let you go after him and Yoji-san even you hate my clan and Inyogakure." Tsukida stated.

"I see, then show me your true strength as the thirteenth heir and the son of Okami Yukisaki, Tsukida Yukisaki." Ikari prepared to fight Tsukida.

"Come!" Tsukida exclaimed.

The two went towards to each other, starting the battle of the Tengu clan and the Yukisaki clan.

After Tsukida started fighting against Ikari, Yoji and Yori kept proceeding to the next floor. Yoji opened the gate to the next stage and found the sixth stage became frozen with glaciers.

"This floor..." Yori shocked after seeing the sixth floor became icy frozen.

"You've finally come..."

Suddenly, Yoku stood up from the icy throne after waiting for Yori Yukisaki so long.

"Yoku..." Yoji noticed that his icy rival froze the sixth stage. He began to use the hell demon form with Ifrit and then steam the ice on the floor without buring the sixth floor. After steaming the icy floor, he returned back to his normal self.

Yoji and Yori stepped on the normal floor, much to Yoku's dismay.

"I almost forgot that you can melt my ice." he mentioned.

Yoji began to wonder something's wrong with his former ice release rival.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Yoji asked.

Yoku became still dismay after being asked by his former rival.

"Tsk. You think you want to know what's wrong with me?"

The cold ice release user snapped his fingers, shattering the glaciers into ice senbon towards the two. Yoji summoned his fireball from his mouth, destroying the ice senbon.

Yoku sighed in dismay once again. "Don't even dare get in the way, Yoji! I've been waiting too long. I only want to kill the first person who obtained true darkness three years ago!"

Yoku's intention was revealed and why did he wanted to kill Yori Yukisaki, the first user of true darkness given by Megami?


	46. Chapter 45: A Sleeping Vessel

**Chapter 45: A Sleeping Vessel**

Somewhere in the hall of the castle, Yume finally arrived on the eighth floor and encountered a door. She turned the knob, opening the door to the eighth floor. As she entered, she became shocked and yet confusingly surprised, seeing the whole chamber surrounding by white camellias.

"What's going on?" she asked to herself.

A chamber filled with white camellias, she kept walking with silence and awe around them. She picked one of the flowers on the ground up and looked at it as she analyzed. She touched its petals, realizing the white camellias were real.

_"There are so many of white camellias, but why?"_

As she looked around in the chamber, she saw a bed with clear white curtains around it. She went towards to the bed and moved the white curtains away. After moving the curtains away from the bed, she became shocked as she became speechless and lost for words.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, Kuta kept dodging away from Kuzuri, in the form of a flash ball.

"This is getting boring while dodging. Looks like it's time for the counterattack!" said Kuta as he stopped dodging Kuzuri's rolling attacks and prepared to counterattack. He jumped in the air, going towards Kuzuri with a strong punch as his right hand was glowing. "Hikariton: Taiyoken!"

Kuzuri got blinded by Kuta's glowing fist and was sent flying backwards. After he got counterattacked, he landed against the wall as he became defeated.

"Ouch..."

Kuta landed on the ground after defeating Kuzuri with a quick punch.

"All right!" he cheered himself with an outstretched and upward punch in the air.

However, despite Kuta's victory, Kuzuri stood up with an angry look on his face.

"Now you made me more mad this time... Now I'm getting serious!" He tapped his true darkness within himself, much to Kuta's shock.

"Huh?! You gotta be kidding!" Kuta became dismay after realizing Kuzuri wasn't defeated yet.

On the other side of the battle, Seiichi kept using different kinds of weapons, cutting Joyoku's long and extended hair endlessly. During his battle, he panted and panted after using all his ninja tools. He analyzed Joyoku's true darkness within her, knowing that the battle against her was too intense.

_"This battle... Is there any way to end this?"_ he thought with a concern look on his face.

Trying to put the end of the battle, he got binded by Joyoku's hair and tried to struggled.

"I won't let you cut my hair so many times. Now it's time to finish you for good!" Joyoku prepared to suffocate Seiichi, only to find out it was a shadow clone. "What?! A kage bunshin?"

A barrage of kunai with exploding tags ambushed Joyoku and an explosion appeared, engulfing the latter. However, Joyoku shielded herself with her hair, enhanced with her true darkness, as a barrier.

"You're very persistent, aren't you boy?"

Seiichi prepared himself to fight her again, only using his dual dao swords.

"I'll finish this battle as soon as possible no matter what!" he exclaimed.

At the third floor, Netami and Pana became enhanced in strength, speed, and evasion after they both used their chakra resonance. Back to back, Pana fought all Taidana's summoning pahtera species such as tigers, lions, and panthers while Rika blocked Netami's barrage of ninja tools.

"Don't let your guard down, Rika!" Pana warned.

"Right! You too, Pana!" Rika replied.

"Geez... They're really strong." Taidana commented.

"There's no need to praise their skills, you sleepy head!" Netami yelled at him.

Somewhere at the bridge outside of the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Tsukida blocked Ikari's sword attacks while the two of them appeared on the rooftop on the other side. Ikari raised his katana, using his clan techniques at the Yukisaki heir.

"Tengu Ichizoku Ougi, Shin-fu Senjin!"

A thousand deadly winds went towards Tsukida, much to his shock. As the winds directly went towards him, Tsukida summoned his light dragon and rode on its back, evading Ikari's deadly wind attack.

Riding his light dragon, he went towards the tengu yokai Ikari to attack him, only having his Yoshiyuki to be blocked by Ikari's katana.

"So this is your strength as the Yukisaki clan's heir?" Ikari implied.

After blocking Ikari's katana, he used his ultimate kenjutsu with his Yoshiyuki.

"Ougi! Ryu no Mugen Hokori!"

A slash shaped into a large dragon attacked Ikari, sending him backwards. After the atttack, Ikari controlled his flight with his black wings flapping together.

"This is still the beginning of this battle," Tsukida replied. "I'll use this strength as the heir of the Yukisaki clan... to protect those who are important to me!"

After Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana kept fighting against the five shinobi of nightmares in three separate floors of the castle, Yume became speechless after seeing a person who was lying on a white bed.

_"What's going on? What's the meaning of this? I don't understand. This person lying on the bed..."_ Yume thought as she began to touch the person's face. _"Is this... me?"_

The person who was lying on the bed, asleep, was actually _Yume_. She took her hand away from the other _her_ and went backwards slowly.

"This can't be real, right? There's no way..."

"The other you who is sleeping is real."

Yume heard a voice and turned around, noticing someone came. The person who just came was Kabuto. After he came, she became confused when he mentioned the other _her _was real.

"Kabuto... What do you mean it's real?" she asked with sudden bewilderment.

"Your other self you've just confronted is your empty vessel." Kabuto answered.

Yume became shocked and yet still confused after hearing that the other _her_ was actually her empty vessel.

"My... empty vessel?" she replied.

"This vessel of yours has your true emotions. After I took your true emotions away from you, the other _you _appeared in this world." Kabuto explained. "Once you complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares, this vessel will disappear and your true emotions will return to you."

Yume noticed that her true emotions will return to her after completing the nightmare game.

"Your last stage will be different. You'll be inside of your subconscious, your dream world."

"My dream world..."

"You need to go into a deep sleep with this vessel. In order to do that, you have to let your emotionless feelings take control of you." he stated.

Yume knew that her final stage will be inside of her dream world and had to let the emotionless feelings she had to take control of her.

"I see..." she replied.

Kabuto noticed she slightly responsed with a disquiet look on her face.

"Is something the matter, my dearest Yume? You don't look surprised after I told you about completing the game," he asked.

Yume became quiet at the moment, wondering if she need to ask him. A question that she'll become his prisoner instead of getting killed during the game, she felt unsure if Megami was telling her the truth back then.

With no hesitations or worries, she began to ask him, "There's something I need to know. It's about my fate if I fail to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

Kabuto chuckled at her question and answered, "You do know about your fate. If you fail to complete the nightmare game, you'll die. That happened to the former challengers three years ago."

"You're wrong," she objected as she hastily shook her head. "My fate... isn't my death. It's something else. If I fail to complete the game, I won't die. I'll become your prisoner after failing to complete the game instead, is that right?"

Kabuto became shocked after realizing Yume knew what would happen to her after failing to complete the game.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Megami told me when I met her from the last stage in the bamboo forests. Back then, I refused to believe this, but she was telling the truth," she answered.

Kabuto never knew that Megami told Yume about his intentions. To think the kinjutsu goddess did it on purpose, he smirked with a devious look despite this situation. He went towards her very close and touched her face, much to the latter's shock.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked.

The challenger never knew that he asked her if she's afraid of him. As she became speechless, her eyes looked away from him.

"I... I'm..." Yume spoke a little with hesitation.

"I understand how you feel. You're afraid of me, I can tell."

Yume noticed that Kabuto understood the reason and looked away from him.

"I don't want that. I just... want to complete the nightmare game." she exclaimed. "I have to. I won't let that happen to me if I fail to complete it!"

"But what about the others?"

Yume heard that Kabuto mentioned something else other than completing the game. What did he mean _"the others"_?

She looked at him with a confused look on her face and began to ask him, "What do you mean?"

He summoned a crystal ball from a scroll on gave it to Yume, making her to carry it.

"I'm sure you know what am I talking about, Yume." he answered.

She looked at the crystal ball, showing four different places altogether. However, Yume became shocked what she saw: Seiichi and Kuta fighting against Joyoku and Kuzuri in two separate battles, Rika and Pana attacking and blocking Netami's ninja tools and Taidana's summons, Tsukida and Ikari clashed with their katanas, and Yori and Yoji confronted Yoku on the frozen floor.

To her shock, she never knew that they came and already got involved with the six shinobi of nightmares despite not wanting them to get involved.

"I don't understand. Why are they here?"

"Yoji guided them here to save you. They're aware about their lives and their suicide mission, however they won't give up on their mission despite this situation." he explained.

Much to her dismay, she realized they can't give up on her and the mission.

"They shouldn't come here..." she replied, disagreeing. Having a difficult situation, she knew she had to complete the game if she still don't want her friends, cousin, and twin brother get involved. "I know they came here to save me, but... I have to complete this game as soon as possible."

"Are you really sure?" he implied.

"Yes," she answered. "I don't want my friends, my relative, and... my twin brother to get involved. I came here so far and I have to do it now."

"I see. Then let us begin." he replied.

Realizing that Yume made her decision, he went close to her ear and whispered, only that she cannot hear what he was saying. Feeling her emotionless feelings began to take control of her, she dropped the crystal ball she was carrying and it rolled away from the two. With her emotionless feelings finally took control of Yume, her eyes slowly closed and her body dropped down all the sudden. He caught her in his arms after she passed out. The empty vessel began to glow and transformed into a vague light orb, and entered into her body.

After the empy vessel in the form of a light orb had entered Yume, Kabuto grinned as he carried and laid her on the bed. He took her katana from her sash before laying Yume on the bed and placed it by her side.

"You made a good decision, my dearest Yume. I hope you will complete the game in no time."

With Yume fell into a deep sleep, the final stage had finally begun.


	47. Chapter 46: A True Darkness's Will

**Chapter 46: A True Darkness's Will**

Yoji shockly realized that Yoku's intention was to kill to the first person who had obtain true darkness three years ago. The first person was actually Yori. Yori became confused after hearing Yoku's words.

"You want to kill me?" asked Yori.

"To think you're the one who made Megami-chan to find her true self, I never knew you're important to her," said Yoku with a bitter look. "It makes me jealous!"

After he became enraged, he summoned his Akuma Akumu and attacked Yori only. However, Yoji threw his chakrams at the Akuma Akumu, destroying them. After Yoji destroyed the Akuma Akumu from attacking Yori and caught his chakrams, Yoku became more enraged.

"Didn't I told you not to get in my way?!" The Ice release user began to perform his technique. "Hyoton: Hiryudan no Jutsu!"

His icy throne became an ice dragon as it roared out loud. Yoji began to summon Ifrit as he prepared to fight his former icy rival once again.

Before fighting Yoku, he began to tell Yori, "Leave him to me. You go on ahead, Yori."

"But..." Yori tried to protest, only for Yoji interrupted.

"You promised yourself and Yume that you have to protect her. So I'm leaving this to you, Yori."

Yori never knew that Yoji let him to go and save Yume while the latter will be fighting his former rival.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go!"

"All right." Yori replied.

He went on ahead, letting Yoku notice with sudden shock and rage.

"I'm not letting you go on ahead!" Yoku exclaimed as he threw ice kunai at Yori, only for them to be destroyed and shattered by Yoji's chakrams.

"I'm your opponent. If you want to go after him, you have to take me down first, Yoku." Yoji exclaimed after catching his chakrams.

Yoku became displeased, however he had no choice to fight his old rival with an arrogant grin.

"Hmph. Fine, I'll take you down then," Yoku accepted Yoji's challenge. He tapped his true darkness and prepared to fight. "But don't think you can defeat me again!"

Yoji summoned Ifrit and began to resonate their chakra together. After resonating each other, he transformed into a hellfire demon form once again.

"Bring it on."

After Yoji started his battle against Yoku, Yori ran and ran as he could in the halls with pillars while going to the eighth floor where the chamber was. He began to worry about his twin sister while keeping running as soon as possible. However, he confronted numerous of Akuma Akumu along the way to the eighth floor.

Meanwhile, at the chamber with white camellias, Kabuto watched over Yume, who was deeply sleeping after she went into her subconscious, her dream world. He began to worry about the vessel right before Yume went into a deep sleep.

Prior to Yume's deep sleep and her destination to the chamber with white camellias on the eighth floor, someone came and confronted the sleeping vessel. The person was actually Unmei as he still wore his mask with a black dragon on the right side, which it was recovered by Megami. He went towards the sleeping vessel.

He took something out from his pocket. A charm with a kanji for dream with white camellia textures and its cloth was blue. He remembered receiving this mysterious charm from someone in his dreams.

Somewhere in the field of white camellias, he met a man with a dream cane and began to talk to him.

"Who are you?"

"Kai Kurosaki, Yume's ally." the dreamkeeper introduced himself to Unmei, using his real name.

Unmei surprised that Kai knew Yume.

"You know her?" he asked.

He nodded and gave something to Unmei, a blue charm with a kanji for dream and textures of white camellias. "Take this."

"A charm?"

"With this charm, Megami will not go inside of Yume's sleeping vessel. You must go inside of the empty vessel." Kai explained.

Unmei became confused that Kai told him to go inside of Yume's empty vessel and began to ask him again, "Yume's sleeping vessel? Why do you want me? Is there a reason, Kai?"

"I won't let Kabuto imprison Yume if she fails to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. So I need you to do this for me, Unmei." he answered.

Unmei heard that Kabuto tried to imprison Yume once she cannot complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"Imprison her? What do you mean by that?" he became confused.

"Kabuto intends to use her as his puppet and prisoner if she cannont complete the game. In order to prevent his plans, I need you to become Yume's final opponent instead of Megami." Kai stated. "The reason I gave this charm to you is that I want to protect Yume from her fate."

Unmei understood Kai's reasons and accepted his request.

After Unmei met Kai in his dreams, he began to prepare himself going inside the sleeping vessel of Yume. However, someone interfered.

"You're going to do something on this vessel, are you?"

Unmei noticed that Kabuto came after trying go inside the vessel. He kept quiet to himself after being asked by Kabuto.

"If that's true, then I won't let you."

He used his chakra no mesu and attacked Unmei, only for him to dodge the attack.

Unmei blocked Kabuto's attacks and went behind him, knocking him out by the neck. However, he noticed stitches on the neck after knocking him out.

"This is..."

His words were cut off as he got stabbed from the back. He noticed that Kabuto stabbed him with the scalpel and dropped down on the floor.

"To think you let your guard down, that was quick to take my corpse down." Kabuto complied.

Suddenly, Unmei, who was defeated, was actually an Akuma Akumu as it disappeared, leaving the mask on the ground. To Kabuto's shock, he looked at the sleeping vessel, noticing the real Unmei and his face which was shown in front of him. Unmei's face was actually the same as Yori's.

Unmei used the charm given by Kai and it began to glow as it encoated him with light. While using the charm, Unmei's eyes began to close itself and it became a floating orb of light. After Unmei became an orb, it went into Yume's sleeping vessel as Kabuto tried to stop the latter, but with no avail.

After what happened, he became speechless after seeing the face of the Fate of Eternal Nightmares_, _the same face as Yori Yukisaki. He began to realize that Unmei doesn't want to show his face because he was the same as Yori.

"I never knew that Unmei has the same face as Yori-kun's." he complied.

While watching Yume asleep, he looked at the crystal ball he was holding and saw Yori fighting against the army of the Akuma Akumu. Noticing that Yori was the only one who came all the way to the eighth floor, he began to leave the chamber as he was about to go to confront Yori. As he was going to confront Yume's protective twin brother, he began to puzzle about Unmei and kept thinking to himself.

_"Unmei and Yori-kun... Are they connected to each other?"_ thought Kabuto.

Later, on the seventh frozen floor, Yoku panted during the battle against Yoji.

"I can't... I can't lose to you. If I do, I can't kill him!" he exclaimed.

"Why do you want to kill Yori? Is there a reason for trying to kill him?" Yoji asked.

"You really want to know why I wanted to kill the first person who received true darkness from Megami-chan? Well, I can't tell you that reason!" Yoku summoned ice spears from the icy ground, sending them towards Yoji. Yoji tried to dodge them, but noticed the ice spears had explosive tags on them.

The tags activated and were about to explode soon as the ice spears was soon entrap Yoji. However, a chain wrapped Yoji around the waist, much to his surprise, and dragged him away from the ice spears before the explosion.

The explosion destroyed the ice spears, becoming small ice shards. Yoku noticed that someone else interfered the battle and got ambushed by a black cloaked figure. The black cloaked figure made a blind strike on the chest while attacking Yoku. The ice release user got attacked blindly as he landed on the wall.

The figure with a black cloak took off the hood, revealing a kunoichi of Inyogakure while the other shinobi appeared by her as he carried Yoji while holding this arm on the back.

"Is Yoji-kun all right?" she asked.

"Yep, he's okay." he replied.

Yoji became shocked and yet extreme surprised as he saw two figures who saved him and began to notice them.

"Seirin-shisho, Shaolin-shisho..."

"Hey, long time no see, Yoji. You look kinda different right now." Seirin complied, noticing that his student in a hellfire demon form while resonating his chakra with Ifrit's.

"I sense that this chakra belongs to Ifrit. You've resonated your chakra with your partner, Yoji-kun. I'm impressed." complied Shaolin.

Yoji never knew that his two shishos saved his life during his battle against Yoku.

"What brings you two here?" he asked.

"Ayumu-san requested us to come here to help you while you're having trouble with this person we knew back then." Shaolin answered.

"Wait, you know Yoku?" Yoji surprised.

"It's been three years since we failed our mission to capture this missing-nin from Yukigakure right before our disappearance. We'll defeat him for you." said Seirin. "For now, go after Yori. I'm sure he needs your help, Yoji."

"Seirin-shisho..."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Shaolin complied.

Yoji returned to his original self with Ifrit after resonating their chakra to each other. He got on its back and went on ahead, leaving the battle to his two shisho after their reunion.

"I'm counting on you!" Yoji exclaimed.

As Yoji went on ahead to go after Yori to the eighth floor, Yoku, who got attacked by Shaolin, stood up and noticed the two shinobi came to save Yoji from the explosion, much to his irritation.

"Tsk. I never know you're still alive back then. I thought you're dead after I killed you," he stated.

"Don't underestimated us. You're too three years early to kill us that easily." Seirin complied.

As Seirin and Shaolin began to fight Yoku and Yoji went after Yori, Kabuto went to the halls to confront Yori, who was fighting the horde of Akuma Akumu. He went to hide behind one of the pillars and saw Yori defeated all of them as he found him.

Yori panted after fighting against the Akuma Akumu all by himself as he almost used all his chakra.

_"He already destroyed all the Akuma Akumu,"_ he thought as he's surprised to see that Yori handled this severe battle all by himself. _"But I won't let him to proceed to the eighth floor, I have to stop him."_

Yori stood up and prepared to continue on his way to the eighth floor.

"I have to get going. I need to save Yume no matter what..." However, as he was about to go on, he felt a sudden and unwavering feeling as he cannot move his body. _"Ugh! This... feeling!"_

He knelt down on the ground, feeling in pain and unwillingly summoned his true darkness within him, leaving Kabuto who stayed hidden shockly surprised.

As he tapped his true darkness, he felt in pain as he heard a lingering voice.

"Destroy... Destroy everything that are in your way. Everything... is your enemy."

_"That voice... Could it be... the true darkness's will?"_ Yori thought in shock after hearing a voice while using his true darkness against his will.

After encountering an ominous voice, will Yori break free himself or destroy everything in his path?


	48. Chapter 47: A Request from a Goddess

This chapter will be about Yori meeting Megami in an illusion of the Sun Moon Lake where they first met each other three years ago and the request from Megami herself.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 47: A Request of a Goddess<strong>

As the true darkness restrained Yori, Kabuto never knew that Yori had true darkness like the six shinobi of nightmares and Unmei.

_"There's no mistaken, that's the true darkenss. I can tell by seeing it myself," _thought Kabuto. _"But why and how? Why does Yori-kun has true darkness? How did he obtained this power?"_

Wondering about Yori and his true darkness, he kept watching him to find out while still hiding behind on one of the pillars. Yori was still in pain as the voice still kept saying to him.

"What's wrong? Everything and everyone who are getting in your way are your enemy. Kill them. Destroy them."

"No. I won't! I won't do this!" Yori protested as he refused the lingering dark voice's request.

"This is your true darkness, Yori. Use it and destroy everything."

"Shut up! You can't tell me what to do!" Yori gave a loud cry as he used his willpower and remaining chakra he had to stop his true darkness from controlling him. As his true darkness was stopped, it disappeared and Yori panted.

Kabuto never knew that Yori can resist his own true darkness against his will. However, the question he need to know was why Yori received true darkness from Megami.

_"How come Yori-kun's the only one who has true darkness despite that he's not one of the nightmare shinobi? If he has true darkness, does this mean that he knows Megami?"_

After stopping his true darkness from controlling him against his will, Yori stood up and became silent. He became regrettable after having his true darkness for three years since the Seirei village incident.

He remembered the words of his shisho, telling him that he shouldn't blame himself for helping Megami to find her true self.

"It's not your fault, Yori. I know it's hard to realize the truth about Megami." said Yoshiro.

Remembering words, he looked at his hands with a disquiet look on his face.

He can't forget what happened back then even Megami as well.

"If I didn't have this dark power, I shouldn't met Megami back then," he said to himself. "And... I shouldn't help her to find her true self as well."

Suddenly, a swarm of crimson butterflies appeared before Yori, to his shock, fluttering around him. He tried to escape, but he noticed he can't move and his eyes suddenly stared blankly, looking at the butterflies around him. He began to close his eyes, rendering unconscious while standing still.

Much to Kabuto's surprise, he began to notice that it was Megami's doing. He had nothing to stop Yori, but to watch and find out.

Meanwhile, Yoji went to find Yori to catch up on him while his two shishos were handling with Yoku. Suddenly, he noticed that Yumekui was surrounded and attacked by the Akuma Akumu.

Yoji shockly surprised and commanded Ifrit to save the young latter as soon as possible. "Ifrit, stop those Akuma Akumu!"

Ifrit noddled as it clawed all of the shadow nightmares away from Yumekui, thus saving him from being harm. To Yumekui's sudden surprise, he noticed that Yoji and Ifrit came to save him as he bumped into them.

"Yoji, Ifrit..."

Yoji got off Ifrit's back and came towards the young dream eater, making sure that he's all right.

"What are you doing here, Yumekui? You know it's dangerous to come here."

Yumekui became worried and answered, "I'm getting worried about Yume-san, so I came here to make sure that it didn't happen."

Yoji became bewildered as Yumekui was worried about Yume.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Yumekui hesitated for telling about Yume's other fate other than becoming Kabuto's prisoner if not able to complete the nightmare game.

"I don't know... if I have to tell you," the young boy replied.

"It's all right, you can tell me later. We need to go after Yori."

Somewhere, Yori opened his eyes and became shocked, noticing where he was.

"This is..."

The place he noticed was the Sun Moon Lake of Inyogakure. He never knew that he found himself in the lake of Inyogakure, standing on the water.

"Remember this place. This is where we first met three years ago."

He heard a familiar voice and turned around and noticed the white cloaked person on the red bridge.

"Megami..." Yori replied bitterly with a glare from his white eyes.

She chuckled as she took a hood off.

"So you finally remember me. I knew you tried to forget me by not remembering my name on purpose," Megami complied.

Yori stood still with silence after noticing that Megami saw through his plan.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"I want to see you, Yori-kun. After all, you're important to me." she answered.

"Important?" he replied.

"It's because you helped me. You helped me find my true self. That's why you're very important to me, Yori-kun."

"Where am I? This can't be the Sun Moon Lake."

"Yes, this isn't the Sun Moon Lake, but an illusion of itself." Megami explained. "The reason that you're here is that I put you in a genjutsu with my crimson butterflies around you."

Yori became shocked that he was under a genjutsu right before being taken to the illusion of the Sun Moon Lake of Inyogakure.

"If you want to get out of this illusion, then you have to defeat me."

Yori became shockly surprised that he had to defeat Megami in order to escape the illusion. He had no choice, but to fight in order to proceed to the eighth floor. He prepared himself as he was about to fight Megami.

As the battle was about to begin, Megami took her white cloak off and summoned a dark naginata. She got off from the bridge and slashed Yori, only for him to dodge her attacks. He attacked Megami with only his taijutsu, however, only for her to dodge his atttacks as well.

As they clashed and exchanged their attacks and blocks, Megami summoned her Akuma Akumu and commanded them to attack Yori. Yori fought and destroyed some of them. Megami smiled with delight after seeing him destroyed her Akuma Akumu.

She chuckled. "Very impressive." she complied. "You've become very strong after three years."

Yori became silent after being judged by Megami. He went towards her, attacking her only with his taijutsu. However, she blocked his attack with her dark naginata.

"Is this all you got?"

She stabbed Yori to the stomach with the end of the dark shaft and then kicked him away from her. Yori was sent flying backwards and landed on the water.

"I think I was wrong, you may be strong, but you cannot defeat me in order to get out of my genjutsu."

Yori panted as he slowly stood up from the water.

"I guess I should end this battle soon." Megami summoned her five Akuma Akumu once again and commanded them to restrain Yori.

Yori tried to attack, but was already restrained by them, who are turned into shadow vines, as his neck, arms, and legs got binded. Struggling to free himself, he noticed Megami went towards him as touched his face with her free hand.

"How pity. I never knew that you can't defeat me. I know you want to get out very badly and save your precious twin sister as soon as possible," Megami stated as she mentioned Yume to Yori, much to his shock. "No need to struggle, Yori-kun. I want to talk with you after I left you three years ago. I want to ask you something as well."

"Ask... me?" he implied.

"I want you to be my puppet leader for my Seven Shinobi of Nightmares." she whispered to his ear, leaning towards him.

To his sudden shock, Yori never knew that she wanted him to be her new puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. He hesitated for having her request and he doesn't know what to do.

"Think carefully, Yori-kun. If you think too long, however, I have no choice but to choke you." she warned him for deciding to accept her request or not. She commanded one of her shadow vines who was restraining his neck to choke him while waiting for him to answer.

He felt in pain as the shadow vine suffocated him. While being choked, he thought in his mind if he really have to accept Megami's request against his will.

_"If I have to this request... will I..."_

Suddenly, a voice appeared inside his mind.

"You can't accept this request."

"Huh?"

As he found himself another place where there had autumn trees, he became surprised and heard the voice once again.

"You can't betray Inyogakure, your friends, your family, and even Yume. Don't give up on yourself and your potential. You must not accept Megami's request against your will. I have faith in you, Yori."

"This voice..." Yori noticed as he turned around and saw someone he knew and never met him since he was born. A man with long brown hair tied back a few inches above the end and bandages around his forehead, clad in a gray chinese jacket with a Yin-Yang on the right sleeve, white long pants, and black sandals. The person he just encountered was actually Musashi Hyuga, Yume and Yori's chichiue. "Tou-san..."

"Never give up, Yori. Don't forget," Musashi said to his twin son as he was about to fade away.

After listening his chichiue's words, Yori closed his eyes and opened once again with determination.

As Yori came to his senses, he willingly tapped his true darkness as he tried to free himself.

"No..."

To Megami's shocking surprise, she backed away from him after seeing him using true darkness.

"I won't become your puppet leader, Megami. I'll end this battle right here and now!" Yori exclaimed as he summoned his dark katana.

"You're using your true darkness I gave you three years ago to defeat me?" Megami implied.

"I know that I helped you to find your true self back then, but what I did was a mistake. That's why I cannot join you. If I do, I'll betray my own potential, my friends and family, Inyogakure, and even Yume!"

With Yori's determination to end the genjutsu, Megami summoned her Akuma Akuma once and commanded to attack him. However, Yori defeated and destroyed all of the shadows in a quick speed with his true darkness. As he defeated the Akuma Akumu, he prepared the final attack Megami as she swung her dark naginata to block his attack.

As their blades of their initial weapons clashed each other, the water of the Sun Moon Lake splashed into an explosion.

Outside of the illusion, the crimson butterflies began to disappear and turned into a mist. Kabuto noticed the mist and Yori began to open his eyes as he came to his senses, breaking the illusion by defeating Megami. On the other hand, the mist disappeared and Megami stood defeated.

She chuckled despite that she was defeated. "You're really strong."

Yori stood still and became silent after he escaped Megami's genjutsu.

"You've defeated me by using your true darkness. I'm very impressed, Yori-kun."

"Enough." Yori exclaimed. "Don't get in my way ever again, Megami."

"I see... But before you go on, there's something I have to ask you. Are you sure you don't want to be my puppet leader, Yori-kun?"

As Kabuto listened to their conversation, he surprisingly shocked as Megami requested Yori to be her new puppet leader, replacing Yoji.

Yori became annoyed by Megami's request and yet refused once again.

"I won't accept this request. I can't betray those who are important to me." he refused.

"I know, but there is a reason why did I chose you to become the puppet leader of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares." she explained.

"A reason?" Yori replied.

Megami went towards Yori and caressed his face gently.

"If you accept my request, I'll help you just like you helped me back then. I can help you by finding your precious twin sister's kidnapper," she convinced Yori as he became shocked when she mentioned Yume's kidnapper.

"How do you know about this?" Yori shockly asked.

"How do I know? Well, it's just simple. Giving you true darkness shows me any kind of any event such as you tried to save Yume from one of my Akuma Akumu." she explained. "If you really want to find out, then join me. It'll change your mind."

Yori never knew that Megami would help him to find Yume's kidnapper in order to become the puppet leader. But he cannot accept her request, he would betray his friends and family from Inyogakure even Yume as well.

He gently pushed Megami's hand away from his face and began to answer, "I can't change my mind, Megami. I won't join you even I have to betray Inyogakure and Yume."

Megami heard his third answer once again as she frowned at his answer.

"I see. So you don't my help then." she replied.

"I'll find out by myself." Yori exclaimed.

He left Megami as he began to continue on to the eighth floor. Megami looked at him until he was gone. She knew that Yume was more important to Yori than herself.

"So Yume's more important to him than me, huh?" she chuckled.


	49. Chapter 48: A Dream Eater's Warning

**Chapter 48: A Dream Eater's Warning**

As Yoji and Yumekui, who were riding on Ifrit, Yoji noticed Megami was there, much to his sudden confusing surprise. He stopped Ifrit and got off after confronting Megami.

Yumekui became surprised as he noticed his onee-san had returned.

"Megami-onee-sama..."

"Long time no see, my dear Yumekui-kun." said Megami, smiling.

Yoji wondered what was Megami doing here and realized that she was supposed to be Yume's final opponent of the nightmare game. Then, he began to ask, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you suppose to be Yume's opponent, Megami?"

Megami knew that Yoji was wondered about that and chuckled with delight.

"Yes, I am supposed to be Yume's last opponent for this game, but there's a slight problem for this game."

To Yoji's bewilderment, he asked her once again, "What are you talking about?"

"As long as Yume's deeply asleep, I was replaced. Unmei became her opponent instead."

Yoji became shockly surprised as Unmei became Yume's opponent instead of Megami.

"How do you know about this?"

"Kabuto-san told me. He failed to stop Unmei from entering Yume's subconscious, her dream world. When I tried to enter Yume's dream world, there was a barrier."

"A barrier?" Yumekui replied.

"Yes, Unmei have a charm with him. Once he has that item after entering Yume, I cannot enter Yume's dream world as well, thus a barrier appeared."

"If Unmei became Yume's final opponent, then why are you here?" Yoji asked.

Megami chuckled once again.

"I came to see Yori-kun. He just left and went ahead to the eighth floor."

"Yori?" Yoji replied after realizing that Yori had confronted Megami. "Why did you came to see him?"

"Since you don't have true darkness, I've chosen Yori-kun as my new puppet leader, however he turned my offer down despite that I wanted to help him." she answered.

"You wanted to help him?"

"Yes, there is a reason why Yume has chosen as the challenger of this game. Of course, I know you're not aware."

Yoji became confused after realizing that he's not aware Megami mentioned.

"I'm not aware? What did you mean by that?"

"The reason that Yume has chosen as the challenger because Kabuto-san kidnapped her by _borrowing_ my Akuma Akumu. That's why I wanted to help Yori-kun by finding the kidnapper." Megami answered.

Much to Yoji's shock, he never knew that Kabuto would kidnap Yume and use her as the challenger. All this time, he became speechless. Yumekui watched him with worry.

"Yoji..."

"Kabuto... kidnapped Yume."

Before he and the others infiltrated the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Yori and the others already entered the door the castle which Yoji had summoned it. As Yoji entered the door soon, Ayumu began to call him.

"Yoji-kun, before you leave, there's something I must tell you."

"What is it, Ayumu-san?" Yoji asked.

"I need you to look after Yori-kun. I want to make sure that he's all right." Ayumu replied. "And there's a reason why Yori-kun wanted to save Yume-sama."

"A reason?"

"I'm sure you'll find out on your own. So please look after him."

After he was told to look after Yori, he never knew that Yori wanted to find out who's Yume's kidnapper.

"By the way, did Yumekui-kun told you about Yume's dreadful fate?" she asked.

Yoji became unaware that Yumekui didn't tell him about Yume's fate if she did not complete the nightmare game.

"Her fate?"

"I see. He didn't tell you then. After all, Yume is aware about her fate."

"What kind of fate are you talking about, Megami?"

"Why don't you ask Yumekui-kun? Of course, he came here to warn you," she suggested.

Yumekui hesitated after he didn't warn Yoji about what'll happen to Yume.

"Yoji... The reason I want to warn is..." However, the young dream eater can't tell Yoji without confidence.

"Has fear taken hold of you, Yumekui-kun? I understand, I'll tell him instead. If Yume fails to complete the game, she'll be a prisoner and puppet."

Yoji became shocked vastly after realizing that Yume's fate wasn't death.

"Yumekui, is this true?" he asked.

Yumekui reluctantly nodded.

"Kabuto-san told me about that he'll use Yume-san once she fails to complete it. That's why I have to warn you..." he explained.

Yoji became silent after realizing that what will happen to Yume. He got on Ifrit and grabbed Yumekui by hand to get on its back.

"Let's go. We have to go after Yori." he said.

As they went to the eighth floor and left, Megami communicated with Yumekui telepathically, much to his surprise.

_"Yumekui-kun, I know you have something else to warn Yoji-kun. If you don't tell him as soon as possible, Yume won't be seen ever again."_ Megami reminded her ototo-chan about the second warning she mentioned.

"Is something wrong, Yumekui?" Yoji asked as he turned his head at him.

"Huh? No, nothing..." he replied as he shook his head.

Meanwhile, Yori arrived at the door to the eighth floor and opened it as he noticed so many white camellias with surprising awe. As he looked around, he suddenly saw Yume sleeping on the bed.

"Yume!"

He went towards her and cradled her body.

"Yume, wake up. Open your eyes," he called. However, Yume cannot wake up as she's in a deep sleep. "I don't get it. Why can't she wake up?"

"It's no use to wake her. She's in a very deep sleep."

To Yori's surprise, he turned around and noticed someone he knew from the last mission.

"You!"

Yori noticed Kabuto had came after him.

"Although it's our second time, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kabuto Yakushi and I'm an acquaintance of Megami."

Yori became shocked as he realized that Kabuto was Megami's acquaintance.

"You know Megami?" he asked.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama and Yokami were once acquaintances and had the same interest such as creating forbidden researches." Kabuto explained. "And to think that you're the first person who obtained true darkness from Megami, I never knew that you're the one who helped her to find her true self."

After noticing that Kabuto realized about the incident, he became irriated after being mentioned. Yori gently laid Yume on the bed and began to prepare himself to fight Kabuto.

"If you ever mention that in front of me, I'll kill you!"

He went towards his opponent in a quick speed by starting with a punch, only to be blocked by Kabuto.

"Is this all you got?" he asked.

Kabuto grabbed Yori by the collar and threw him to the flowerbeds of white camellias. He stood up after being thrown. He used four yami bunshins and prepared to attack Kabuto by left, right, front, and back. However, Kabuto took four of them down in a quick attack.

"I'm not here to fight you, Yori-kun, but I must tell you to give up on your mission." Kabuto suggested.

Yori became shocked that Kabuto asked him to give up the mission to rescue his twin sister.

"Why would you ask me that?" he asked

"Of course you are aware that if Yume leaves without completing the game. You and the others will die although you're outsiders, interfering the game." Kabuto explained. "It's for your own good."

"I cannot do that. I know my life is more important than this mission, but I'm not leaving without Yume," Yori protested.

"Is that so? But don't you have another reason other than rescuing your dear twin sister?"

Yori shockly noticed that Kabuto mentioned he had another reason other than rescuing Yume.

"You're supposed to find Yume's kidnapper, am I right, Yori-kun?" Kabuto complied, reminding Yori that reason. "I'm sure you already realized why."

"What are you talking about? How do you know about it?" Yori asked with bewilderment.

Kabuto shook his head after Yori wasn't aware.

"It seems you don't understand at all. Very well, I'll tell you then. I'm sure you won't be surprised about this."

Yori became tensed after being told that he will not be suprised.

"The truth is that I'm the kidnapper. I'm the one who kidnapped Yume," Kabuto confessed without holding back or hesitation.

After he confessed, Yori became shocked as he realized that Kabuto kidnapped Yume by using Akuma Akumu to attack the twins back then. As he found out, he became enraged as he tightly clenched his hands. With Yori's rage, he unawarely tapped his true darkness, showing Kabuto astonish.

_"To think that Yori-kun is the first person obtained that power from Megami, his true darkness is the same as Unmei's."_

Noticing that Yori's rage became very powerful, Kabuto summoned some Akuma Akumu to stop him. The Akuma Akuma attacked Yori, however he had taken all of them down in a quick attack. After the Akuma Akumu were defeated, Kabuto knew that he had to take Yori down as soon as possible, knowing that the latter's true darkness became too strong.

He summoned his two corpses in his image from the scroll and commanded them to restrain Yori from using true darkness harshly.

The two corpses immobilized Yori with their chakra no mesu as his true darkness disappeared all the sudden and finally restrained his both arms.

Yori tried to struggle, but to no avail from trying to free himself.

"I never knew that you really hate me because I captured Yume, using the Akuma Akumu I _borrowed_ from Megami."

"Why... Why did you kidnapped Yume?!" Yori asked with a glare.

"Why, you asked? I'm only using her to complete the nightmare game. Of course, you know that Megami is part of the game and she's her last opponent."

Yori became shockly surprised that Megami was chosen to be Yume's last opponent.

"However, there's a slight change during the game. Unmei chose himself to be her last opponent."

To Yori's confusion, he didn't knew his counterpart would become Yume's final opponent.

"Unmei became... her opponent?" he replied.

"Despite that he's not one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and is not chosen to participate of the game, he independently entered Yume to her dream world. I never knew that Unmei's face is the same as yours."

Yori became surprisingly shocked as Kabuto noticed that Unmei had the same face.

"You saw Unmei's face?" he implied.

"Yes, to think he had hid his face all this time, no wonder he only showed his face to Megami."

After Unmei had entered Yume's dream world, Megami appeared as Kabuto noticed she came. As Megami came to the chamber, she began to notice the mask with the mark of the black dragon, which was belonged to Unmei, and picked it up from the ground.

"This is Unmei's mask." Megami stated. Wondering why the mask was here, she went towards the sleeping challenger and tried to enter Yume's dream world, however, there was barrier around the latter's body. "A barrier?"

"Unfortunately, Unmei went inside of her, using a charm to summon a barrier. After the barrier is activated, you cannot enter." Kabuto explained to Megami.

"Is that so? I never knew that Unmei would become Yume's last opponent instead of me."

Kabuto began to wonder about Unmei's face after he already saw the same face as Yori's.

"There's something I need to know, Megami."

"Hm? What is it, Kabuto-san?" Megami asked.

"It's Unmei. Before you came, I just saw his face just now." he answered.

Megami became surprised as Kabuto saw Unmei's face.

"You did?" she replied.

"Yes, I understand why you don't let Unmei show his face to your recruits," Kabuto realized. "I'm sure you have a reason, Megami."

"A reason, huh? I see you realized that Unmei's the same as Yori-kun, am I correct?" she implied.

"Yes. Unmei's a half-Akuma Akumu, of course. But why did he have the same face as Yori-kun?"

"It's because Unmei has the blood from the original himself. Yori-kun, that is." Megami answered. "You see, before I came to Otogakure in search of my chichiue, I took some blood from Yori-kun after I spared his life when wounding him. Three years ago, I created Unmei, using Yori-kun's blood and one of my Akuma Akumu. Thus, he's Yori-kun's opposing counterpart."

Kabuto began to wonder about Megami's relationship with Yori Yukisaki.

"How did you know about Yori-kun, Megami?" he asked, curiously.

Megami chuckled as she smiled and answered, "Let's just say that he's a very important person to me."

As Megami disappeared within the crimson butterflies, Kabuto felt suspicious about Yori after noticing that Megami knew him.

After a conversation with Megami, Kabuto used his scalpel encoated with chakra no mesu on his right hand.

"Now then, if you refuse to abandon your mission, then I have no choice, but to kill you."

As Kabuto was about to kill Yori, Ifrit stopped him as it ambushed him from above, much to the medical-nin's shock. As Ifrit was about to attack Kabuto, he moved away from the flame demon. The two corpses released Yori from being restrained and tried to attack Ifrit. However, Ifrit spitted two fireballs on each corpse as the two began to burn in flames and dropped on the ground.

Ifrit took Yori to Yume to make the latter to feel safe. Yumekui got off from its back and stayed with Yori as well.

Yori surprised as he didn't noticed that Yumekui came.

"Yumekui."

"Yori-san, are you alright?" the dream eater asked.

"Yeah, I'm all right."

Yoji confronted Kabuto as he commanded Ifrit to come back. Ifrit came to its master's side after jumping over from the other side.

"I never expect you would come all the way here, Yoji. Despite you're the former puppet leader and shinobi of the nightmares, you independently guided those outsiders to this castle." Kabuto stated.

Ifrit began to transform to its orignal state as the chakrams and Yoji grabbed them as he was about to fight him.

"I'll burn you to death," Yoji threatened with an enraged look on his face. "I won't let you keep using Yume."

"Well, I never knew you hate me so much after you realized I will use her once she fails to complete the game," Kabuto noticed Yoji knew about Yume's fate after failing to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. "Tell me, Yoji. Why do you keep protecting Yume even though you're done playing your role as her partner and protector?"

Yoji knew that Kabuto did kill Yume's sensei three years ago and promised her to protect from him no matter what.

"I wanted to protect Yume because... I don't want her to feel more pain and sorrow. That's why I won't forgive you for what you did to her!" he exclaimed.

Kabuto noticed that Yoji already realized that he killed Kai Kurosaki three years ago. He never knew that Yoji would kill him for taking someone important away from Yume.

"Is that so? You want to protect Yume just because I killed someone precious to her three years ago."

Yori became shocked as Kabuto killed the important person to Yume three years ago after he confessed.

"Someone precious?" he replied.

Yoji prepared himself to fight as his rage became stronger.

"I'll kill you even though it's a rematch. I won't lose to you ever again."

Yumekui became shocked that Yoji was about to fight Kabuto even killing him. He remembered that his onee-sama told him about Yume's other dreadful "fate" as he recalled her words.

"If you don't tell him as soon as possible, Yume won't be seen ever again."

Not wanting to let Yoji kill Kabuto, he began to shout to stop him.

"Yoji, don't kill him!" he yelled.

Yoji noticed that Yumekui shouted at him not to kill Kabuto, much to his confusion.

"Yumekui, what are you talking about? He's the one who kidnapped Yume. You told me that he'll use her as well after she fails to complete this game."

"I know... but you can't kill Kabuto-san. Yume-san will... Yume-san will..." With hesitation and fear took hold of Yumekui, he tried to bring it up with reluctant confidence without any choice. "Yume-san will disappear if you kill Kabuto-san!"

As Yumekui told Yoji about Yume's other fate, Yoji became speechless and shocked as Yume will disappear if he kills Kabuto. Not just only Yoji but with Yori as well, he became extreme shocked after hearing that his twin sister will disappear.

"Yume will... disappear?" Yori replied with fear.

Yume's other fate was revealed. But what are Yoji's choices, kill the host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares or spare him in order to not let Yume disappear forever?


	50. Chapter 49: A Forbidden Rule

**Chapter 49: A Forbidden Rule**

As Yumekui confessed Yume's other fate, Yoji became speechless after finding out that if he killed Kabuto, Yume will disappear forever.

"Yumekui..." said Yoji.

Kabuto realized that Yumekui had forsaw the dream vision.

"It seems you already forsaw your dream vision, Yumekui." he said.

"His dream vision?" Yoji replied.

"To think you came here to warn Yoji, I never knew that you're worried about the challenger all along."

Yumekui became quiet with a pity look on his face. Yori became confused after realizing that his own twin sister will disappear after Yoji had killed Kabuto.

"Hey, Yumekui... What are you talking?" Yori asked. "What do you mean Yume will disappear? Why?!"

"Yori-san. I know how you feel about Yume-san. I know that. The truth is this dream vision was my first one," he explained.

To Yoji and Yori's confusion, they noticed that Yumekui's dream vision was the first.

"The first dream vision?" Yoji replied.

"It happened three years ago before I even met you, Yoji," Yumekui stated. "Eversince Orochimaru-san made the Seven Stages of Nightmares because of Megami-onee-sama's creations, the challengers failed to complete the game and ended up getting killed by Megami-onee-sama, her shinobi, and the Akuma Akumu. After they got killed, I was told to eat their dreams and nightmares, ending their lives. Back then, this was where I obtained my first dream vision."

Three years ago, Yumekui was asleep and suddenly his eyes opened by itself, giving a blank look. In the dream vision, he saw some of the challengers were trying to kill Orochimaru. After they killed Orochimaru, the challengers began to disappear. He woke up with a confusing gasp after seeing his first dream vision. He became confused about why the challengers were trying to assassinate Orochimaru. Pondering about the dream vision, he became more worried.

The next day, he was sitting on the cliff near by the waterfall with a doubtful look. Suddenly, Megami came to him as he noticed that she came to see him.

"Megami-onee-sama..."

"I was wondering why you look so worried," Megami noticed the look on Yumekui's face. "Is something bothering you?"

"It's just... I have a strange dream vision. It's about the Seven Stages of Nightmares."

"What about it?" she asked.

"I saw some challengers, trying to kill Orochimaru-san. And then... they began to disappear after they killed him." Yumekui explained.

Megami became surprised after hearing Yumekui's first dream vision.

"They disappeared after they killed Orochimaru-sama? How strange."

"I don't know why, but I think it's forbidden to kill a host in order to end the game." Yumekui stated.

Megami began to understand Yumeku's dream vision and later participated the nightmare game. She noticed that the challengers already surrounded Orochimaru. She knew that Yumekui's first dream vision was about to become true.

_"I can't let that happen."_ she thought

She confronted the challengers before they do so, much to their shock.

"You're...!" one of the challengers shocked, noticing Megami.

As she stopped them from killing Orochimaru, she killed them all quickly. The challengers were lying on the ground with dead look on their faces.

"I never knew you saved me from those challengers, Megami." Orochimaru stated.

"That's because they were trying to kill you, Orochimaru-sama. There's a reason why they would do that." Megam replied.

Megami explained to the Snake Sannin about her ototo's first dream vison and Orochimaru realized that the challengers would disappear after he was killed.

"So they were trying to kill me and then they disappear."

"According to my ototo, he thinks that it's fobidden to kill a host of the game in order to end it." Megami stated.

"I see. Then I should put that as a forbidden rule. After all, their lives will be devastated if they're trying to kill me."

"Thanks to my first dream vision, Orochimaru-san made a forbidden rule about killing a host." Yumekui explained. "When I got the same dream vision as the first one, I saw you killed Kabuto-san and then... Yume-san disappeared, never to be seen ever again..."

Yoji never knew that Orochimaru would put a forbidden rule of the nightmare game. He lost for words after discovering the reason why he cannot kill the current host.

"I... I can't believe it..."

"I'm already aware of this situation," Kabuto stated. Yoji noticed that Kabuto already knew about Yume's other fate. "Before she completed six stages, Orochimaru-sama warned me about this situation during the fifth stage. He told me not to let anyone to kill me which you're doing it now. But you can't do that, right? If you did, Yume will disappear and the game will never be completed just like three years ago."

Yoji clenched his hands as he can't kill Kabuto and let Yume disappear.

"Damn it..."

Meanwhile, Yume became unconscious laying on the ground. As she opened her eyes, she stood up and noticed that she was in her own dream world. Her dream world was actually her home village, Inyogakure.

"This is... Inyogakure? This is my dream world?"

Looking around with her Byakugan, she noticed that there were no one around the village.

"There's no one here in this dream world. So this is my final stage then."

Suddenly a crimson butterfly flew by her, much to her surprise, as it fluttered to the right way. Wondering where the crimson butterfly is going, she quickly went after it.

At the second floor in the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Joyoku and Kuzuri became confusingly shocked after the battle ended without a victory.

"Joyoku, what's going on? Those Akuma Akumu just captured those two outsiders we were fighting." said Kuzuri.

"I don't know. I just don't know why, Kuzuri." she replied.

On the third floor, Netami and Taidana were also confusingly shocked after seeing their opponents get captured by the Akuma Akumu.

"What the hell's going on?" Netami confused.

"This is confusing. Why would those Akuma Akumu took them?" Taidana wondered.

Outside at the bridge of the castle on the fifth floor, Ikari returned into a human, realizing that Tsukida of the Yukisaki clan had been captured by an Akuma Akumu.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ikari pondered.

On the sixth floor, Seirin and Shaolin were still fighting against Yoku, the missing-nin of Yukigakure.

"He's still very strong from three years ago," Seirin explained.

"But we can't lose just yet." Shaolin exclaimed.

Yoku panted as he almost wasted his chakra with his true darkness during the battle.

"I can't... lose yet." he exclaimed.

_"That's enough."_

Suddenly, Yoku heard a familiar voice, communicating telepathically with him.

_"Megami-chan.__"_

Noticing that Megami called him, she began to told him to withdraw, _"Withdraw the battle at once, Yoku. No need to kill those two outsiders right now."_

Yoku knew that he had to accept what she had told him and began to stop as the two Inyo shinobi noticed that the latter didn't do anything next.

"Though I can't kill you two, let's call this a draw. Be happy that I let you live."

A mist began to engulfed him and it began to disappear as Yoku was nowhere to be found. After the mist disappeared, the sixth floor went back to normal without no ice or glaciers.

"Did he just spared our lives right now?" Seirin asked.

"I'm not sure, but I have a bad feeling about this." Shaolin replied as she became worried.

Later at the chamber, Yoji became uncertian as he don't know what should he do after finding out Yume's other fate.

"Can't decide what should you do, Yoji? I know it's hard to try and kill me, but Yume's life is at stake." Kabuto reminded Yoji.

With his difficult decision, he can't decide what should he do. However, Ifrit in his chakrams form sensed something as it warned Yoji after he transformed to his flame demon form.

"Huh? What's wrong, Ifrit?"

Ifrit told its master that a shadow was here in the chamber, hiding somewhere in the white camellias. Pondering about the shadow Ifrit mentioned, Yoji used his eight kunai with both hands and threw them everywhere in the camellias. After throwing them, Yoji noticed there was an Akuma Akumu lurking in the flowerbeds, much to his shocking surprise.

Kabuto noticed that an Akuma Akumu was hiding all this time.

"An Akuma Akumu?"

Yoji commanded to transform back to the chakrams and threw one of them at the Akuma Akumu, but only for the shadow to dodge the attack. As it went towards Yori, Yumekui shockly noticed that it was here to capture Yori and pushed him away from the shadow.

"Look out!"

After pushing him away, the shadow of an Akuma Akumu captured Yumekui with its dark shadows and summoned a door. Yori became shocked as the Akuma Akumu had captured Yumekui after the dream eater saved him from being captured.

"Yumekui!"

Yori tried to stop the shadow to save Yumekui, however it already entered the door and the door had disappeared in front of him.

"What's going on?" Yoji asked with bewilderment after seeing an Akuma Akumu took Yumekui and left.

Just then, Ifrit alerted its master that there were four more lurking in the white flowers. Yoji threw both chakrams to force four Akuma Akumu out from the flowers and then destroying them with his flying and spinning chakrams. After defeating and destroying four of them, Yoji caught them with his both hands.

To Kabuto's confusion, he never knew that the Akuma Akumu would be rebel and were not controlled by Megami or the other nightmare shinobi.

After Yoji defeated the Akuma Akumu, a voice appeared out of nowhere.

"I never knew you would defeat them from trying to capture my target."

They heard a voice, much to their shock and surprised. And suddenly, the petals of white camellias began to turn a dark color.

"The white camellias..." Kabuto noticed.

"They've turned black?" Yori replied, to his confusion.

After the white camellias had turned into black, its petal began to float and twirl around in the air. Twirling around, a figure appeared within them. As the black petals disappeared, a man with a black dark cane, wearing a grey Chinese jacket with a black flower which was somehow a black camellia and long grey pants with martial artist shoes. His face was revealed to Yori, Yoji, and Kabuto, much to their shock. It was the Nightmare Seeker who appeared before them.

"That face..." Yori shockly surprised.

"I never knew you're protecting my target." he stated.

With the Seeker's shocking appearance, why is he after Yori Yukisaki after he only captured Yumekui the dream eater instead?


	51. Chapter 50: The Seeker's Objective

**Chapter 50: The Seeker's Objective**

After an Akuma Akumu kidnapped Yumekui after the dream eater risked his life to save Yori from being kidnapped, they had encounterd the Nightmare Seeker, who resembled Kaito the Dreamkeeper.

Yori became speechless after seeing the face of the seeker.

"Kaito-san?" he implied, wondering if he's Kaito.

"Kaito? No, you've mistaken for someone else," the Seeker replied.

"So you're Kai the Nightmare Seeker then." Yoji stated.

The Seeker never knew that Yoji knew his name.

"So you knew about me? Here you are, protecting my important target that I was trying to capture."

"Your important target?"

"Even though I kidnapped the dream eater instead, I won't give up yet. After all, I already kidnapped the other five."

"What do you mean?" asked Yoji.

The Nightmare Seeker closed his eyes and showed his dream vision to the three shinobi as the chamber turned into a different background. A dark wasteland with a black sky appeared out of nowhere. Yori noticed as he saw himself laying on the ground unconscious. But it's not only just him, there were others who were laying unconscious on the ground as well. There was Tsukida, Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana. To his confusing shock, he never knew that they were unconscious somewhere that he never had seen before. After Kai the Nightmare Seeker finishing showing his dream vision, the background of the dark wasteland had disappeared.

"What's... going on?" Yori asked confusingly.

"The dream vision I have was supposed to become true, but the dream eater interfered and then got captured and taken instead." Kai the Nigthmare Seeker explained.

"You said you already kidnapped the other five. You don't exactly mean..." Yoji implied.

"Yes, I already kidnapped Tsukida Yukisaki, Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana after their nightmare selves failed to kill them and were accepted by themselves," he answered. "I have to kidnap Yori Yukisaki this instant no matter what."

"What about Yumekui then?! Where did you take him?!" Yoji asked with a protective look on his face as he's worried about Yumekui.

"I can't put the dream eater with the five Inyo shinobi after I kidnapped him. Instead, I took him somewhere else whether you could find him or not."

Yoji prepared himself to fight the Seeker in order to find out where Yumekui was after being taken by an Akuma Akumu.

"If you can't tell me where Yumekui is, I'll force you to tell!"

As Yoji was about to fight, Yori joined him by his side, much to his surprise.

"Yori!? What are you doing?"

"I can't sit back and do nothing. I'm going to help you." Yori exclaimed.

"You're his only target and he already kidnapped the others despite. I can't let you do that." Yoji protested.

The Nightmare Seeker summoned five Akuma Akumu and they transformed into five shinobi of Inyogakure. They had images of Tsukida, Seiichi, Kuta, Rika, and Pana.

"Don't get in my way. Attack the flame release user." he commanded.

Six of them began to start attacking Yoji in all-out attack and the latter began to use his chakrams and dodged their attack. Yori became shocked as he quickly noticed that Yoji was already fighting against six Akuma Akumu.

"Yoji!"

He tried to help Yoji, but the Seeker blocked Yori's way.

"With you as my target, you're also my opponent as well, Yori." The Seeker stated and turned his dark cane into a katana.

The Seeker attacked Yori with his katana and the latter quickly summoned his dark katana, blocking the first attack. As they fought each other, Yori kept blocking the attacks with his dark katana.

"What do you want with me? And why did you kidnapped them?" he asked.

"All I want is to make him to feel pain and suffer." the Seeker answered.

To Yori's confusion, he replied, "Him?"

"My original self..."

Yori became shocked as he began to realize that Kai the Nightmare Seeker was actually a nightmare self.

"You're... a nightmare self? But... I don't understand."

"I'm the only nightmare self and I used those Akuma Akumu and turned them into nightmare selves. Since you and the others have already accept your other selves, I have no choice, but to capture you."

The Nightmare Seeker swung his katana with a dark wind slash.

"Aki Kijin."

Yori dodged the dark wind slash and used kunai and shuriken as he threw at him. The Seeker blocked them with his katana swiftly.

"You should have give up your mission in the first place, Yori. Your life is in danger especially the others as well. You and your comrades are outsiders, interfering the Seven Stages of Nightmares," he exclaimed. "Why did you not leave at once? You do know if the challenger leaves without completing the game, you'll die."

"I can't leave after giving up this important mission. I have to complete this mission after she completes the game." Yori replied.

"Why? Why do you want her to complete the game?"

"Because I have to protect her at all costs, Yume is my twin sister! I'll wait for her to complete the game no matter what!"

As Yori claimed his reason, the Nightmare Seeker heard the name and suddenly repeated, "Yume?"

Suddenly, he began to feel pain as he clutched his head once again. Yori began to notice that his opponent was in pain, much to confusion.

_"What's going on? Is he in pain?"_ he confused after seeing the Nightmare Seeker in pain.

As Kai the Nightmare Seeker felt in pain, he began to see visions of a young kunoichi as a genin once again. As he saw a young kunoichi in his vision, he began to notice that the girl looked familiar, but he can't think who she was.

"Who... are you?" he asked as the kunoichi smiled at him.

However, the kunoichi of Konohagakure disappeared as he felt the pain had gone away. Yori confusingly realized that the Nightmare Seeker's pain disappeared. As the Nightmare Seeker was recovered himself from the unknown pain, he began to realize that he must capture Yori as soon as possible.

"I can't stand here doing nothing. I have to capture you."

As he prepared to capture Yori, going towards him, however, white petals appeared surrounding him out of nowhere.

"Flower petals?" Yori noticed.

As the Inyo shinobi watched the Seeker surrounded by flower petals, a demon clad in a wind took him and disappeared, much to his surprise.

Yoji was outnumbered by six Akuma Akumu as he panted, knowing that they were strong. As he was about to be defeated, six wind demons appeared in front of him and quickly defeated them. After defeating the six of them, they began to become a whirlwind surrounding Yoji, much to his surprise. All the sudden, the whirlwind suddenly disappeared along with Yoji.

Kabuto confused that Yori and Yoji were disappeared all the sudden. Noticing something suspicious, he turned around and saw a hooded figure going near by the sleeping Yume. He threw scalpels at the intruder, only for him blocking them with his chakra no mesu.

"A medical-nin?"

As Kai the Nightmare Seeker broke free from the flower petal genjutsu, he noticed and knew the hooded figure.

"I've finally found you!"

He swung his katana, using Aki Kijin at the figure. However, the gray-hooded figure used his katana after transforming his dream cane into a weapon and summoning a wind slash, clashing with the Aki Kijin. However, both wind clash clashed each into a powerful wind. With a strong one appeared, it blew the hood of the intruder off from his head, revealing his face. As as the hood came off, Kabuto became shocked as he noticed the face he realized. It was none other than Kaito the Dream Keeper, also known as Kai Kurosaki.

After the wind slashes had clashed, the Nightmare Seeker went towards him and stabbed to the stomach with his katana. However, after killing his opponent, the Dream Keeper turned into a whirlwind of autumn leaves and engulfed the Seeker once again. The whirlwind became bigger, trying to blow the two shinobi away as they stood still. Just then, the whirlwind suddenly disappeared and Kaito was nowhere to be seen.

However, Kabuto noticed that Kaito wasn't the only one who was gone, but the sleeping Yume as well, much to his shock.

_"So he already took her with him, huh?"_

Meanwhile, somewhere in a dark wasteland, the five shinobi of Inyogakure were still unconscious just like the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision. All the sudden, Tsukida opened his eyes, regaining his consciousness. As he stood up, he noticed his comrades along with Rika and Pana were unconscious.

"Everyone!"

Just before he went towards them, he noticed that he and the others were in a strange and different place.

"Where... are we?" he asked with confusion as he saw nothing in the whole land and the sky was dark black without white clouds, stars, or even a sun or moon as well.


	52. Chapter 51: The Abyss of True Nightmares

**Chapter 51: The Abyss of True Nightmares**

After Tsukida regained his consciousness and found himself and the others in an unfamiliar place, he wondered why this place became so dark and strange.

"This place? What is this?" said Tsukida, wondering about this dark location.

Suddenly, Kuta and Seiichi opened their eyes and got up from the ground, much to Tsukida's surprise.

"Kuta, Seiichi!"

"Tsukida." Kuta noticed.

"You're okay?" Tsukida asked his two teammates.

"Yeah, we're kinda okay." Kuta replied.

Kuta and Seiichi noticed that Rika and Pana were still unconscious and went towards them.

"Rika!" Seiichi shockly surprised.

"Pana!" Kuta called her.

Seiichi cradled Rika in his arms as she began to open her eyes and saw her nii-san, holding her.

"Seiichi..."

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Rika nodded.

After Rika and Pana regained their consciousness and got off from the ground and stood up, they noticed they're in a different place.

"Where are we?" Rika asked.

"I don't know. It's so strange," Kuta replied, seeing the sky became so dark and black.

"Could be that the Akuma Akumu took us here?" Seiichi wondered after remembering that two Akuma Akumu took him and Kuta to somewhere else.

"Wait! You got captured as well?" Rika implied as she became shockly surprised.

"Yeah, you too?" Kuta asked Rika.

The ninja tool kunoichi nodded and answered, "When we kept fighting, all the sudden two Akuma Akumu ambushed us and then captured us."

"It happened to me as well." Tsukida agreed with Rika.

"It can't be just a coincidence." Seiichi stated.

"So why did those Akuma Akumu took us here?" Kuta asked.

"I don't know. I guess we should find out by looking around." Tsukida answered.

Everyone agreed with Tsukida as they were about to start walking around the dark wasteland.

Meanwhile, Yori was unconsciousness and opened his eyes as he found himself laying on the bed. He stood up and noticed when he was at Ayumu's dream shop all the sudden.

"Huh? I'm back?"

Suddenly, he noticed his twin sister was sleeping in the other bed, much to his surprise.

"Yume!"

He got out from the bed and noticed that Yume was still asleep.

"Don't worry, Yori-kun. Yume-sama's still asleep."

He noticed and turned around, seeing Ayumu and Yoji came in.

"Ayumu-san, Yoji."

"Kaito took you and Yoji-kun here even Yume-sama as well." Ayumu explained.

"He did?" Yori suddenly realized about the consequence and wondered why he's not dead if Yume returned here. "But how? If Yume's here, that means..."

"Kaito used a charm to prevent the consequence by giving it to Unmei, your manifested dark self."

Yori didn't realize that Kaito gave Unmei a charm to prevent a deadly consequence and realized why his opposing self became Yume's final opponent.

"You can look after her for a while." Ayumu convinced him.

As Ayumu left, leaving him and Yoji look after Yume, Yori began to wonder about what Kabuto mentioned the important person to Yume.

"Yoji..."

"What's wrong?" Yoji asked.

"Is this true... that Kabuto killed someone precious to Yume three years ago?"

Yoji became shocked as Yori asked him about Yume's sensei, Kai Kurosaki.

"Yeah, Kabuto killed Yume's sensei three years ago."

Yori became shocked that Kabuto killed Yume's sensei three years ago. He remembered after he first met Yume and realized that she was his twin sister. He had a chat with her about herself and her time at Konohagakure.

"Now that we're twin brother and sister, can you tell me about yourself and Konohagakure, Yume?" Yori asked.

"Well, you know that Konoha's one of the five great nations, right, Yori?"

"Yes, I know that as well." Yori knew. "So you're a tokubetsu jonin like me, right?"

Yume nodded.

"You've only Yoshiro-sama as your shisho despite not having teammates." she stated.

Yori surprised that Yume knew that he doesn't have comrades when he became a shinobi three years ago.

"Yume, how did you know?"

"Tsukida-kun told me about you." Yume answered. "When you became genin back then, Yoshiro-sama became your shisho."

"Yeah. What about you, Yume? Do you have a team?"

Yume noticed as her twin brother asked her if she does have a team. However, she became silent joylessly.

"Yume?"

"To be honest, I don't have teammates just like you. I once had a sensei back then and he was a medical-nin just like me." Yume explained. "But... before I became chunin, he was killed from his mission."

Yori became shocked after hearing that his twin sister's sensei got killed from his mission three years ago.

"It's all right. Right now, I got Rika and Pana as my teammates. So I'll be fine." she smiled at Yori.

"Yume..."

After remembering Yume told about her late sensei, Yori became speechless after finding out that Kabuto Yakushi killed the person who was important to his twin sister.

_"Kabuto killed Yume's sensei..."_

During their conversation while looking after Yume, Kai stood behind the wall outside of the room, listening. He moved his head down to ground, staring with a reluctant expression. After staring at the ground, he left them alone.

Later, Kai, along with Seirin and Shaolin, had an important meeting about the other shinobi and Yumekui, who were captured by Akuma Akumu.

"I can't believe those monsters kidnapped Rika-chan and Seiichi." Seirin became worried about his children.

"Do you know where are they, Ayumu?" Shaolin asked.

"I'm not sure. These Akuma Akumu who kidnapped Tsukida-sama and the others aren't controlled by Megami-sama. They're controlled by someone else." Ayumu stated.

"But who?" Seirin implied.

"Kai the Nightmare Seeker."

Kai answered who kidnapped the six shinobi of Inyogakure as the two shinobi became shocked, knowing that the latter was saying.

"You don't mean..."

"Yes... My only nightmare self." he nodded.

"Then why he would kidnap the others?" Shaolin asked.

"All he wanted is make me to feel despair and sorrow..." he explained.

"By how? How would he do that?" Seirin asked.

"After Yori and the others went on the mission to save Yume, I had another vision. After the Nightmare Seeker kidnapped six outsiders of Inyogakure, he may... kill them in front of me."

Seirin and Shaolin became shocked what the Seeker's intention to kill Yori and the others in front of Kaito.

"No..." Serin became speechless.

"Is there any way to prevent it from happpening?" Shaolin asked Kaito.

"All I have to is to retrieve Tsukida and the others. They're now in the Abyss of True Nightmares." Kaito explained.

"The Abyss of True Nightmares." Ayumu replied. "Now that I think about it, that location wasn't created by Megami-sama herself."

"My nightmare self created that abyss after I came to the Akumu no Kuni and left when he was created."

"If you're sure that Rika-chan, Seiichi, and the others are taken to that abyss, please bring them back." Seirin begged desperately.

"I will," Kaito replied. "I'll bring them back safe no matter what."

"I'm going too!"

Suddenly, Kaito noticed Yori came along with Yoji after hearing the conservation about the Abyss of True Nightmares.

"Yori-kun." Ayumu noticed.

"Take me with you, Kaito-san. I can't sit back and wait for Tsukida and the others return." Yori plead Kaito.

"But Yori, you're the only target the Nightmare Seeker needs to capture. I can't take you with me."

"I know, but I'll try to be careful. Tsukida and the others are my friends. I can't be worried if I don't go with you. So please!"

"Yori..."

"I'm going too." Yoji stated.

"Yoji." Seirin surprised.

"He already captured Yumekui and I have to save him as well. I'm also responsible for looking after him."

Kaito knew that he don't have a choice and accepted their requests.

"Very well. You can come with me. But let me warn about the abyss, that place is filled with Akuma Akumu the Nightmare Seeker already captured and controlled them."

"Got it." Yoji understood.

"Be careful. Bring Pana and Kuta-kun back as soon as possible." said Shaolin, counting on Katio, Yori, and Yoji to save them.

"Don't forget about Rika-chan and Seiichi as well."

"Just bring Tsukida-sama and Yumekui-kun back also." Ayumu stated.

"We will." Kaito replied. "Let's go."

"Right." Yoji and Yori responded.

Kaito summoned a door to the Abyss of True Nightmares and entered as the door itself disappeared.

"I'm counting on you." Ayumu prayed for them.

Later, somewhere in Yume's dream world, Yume kept following the crimson butterfly in the dream world of Inyogakure until it stopped to its destination and suddenly disappeared. After chasing the butterfly, she began to notice that she was on the red bridge with a big lake.

"This is... the Sun Moon Lake." Yume noticed. "That's where Yori met Megami three years ago..."

Wondering why she came here, she noticed a familiar figure standing on the water of the lake, much to her surprise.


	53. Chapter 52: Fate of Eternal Nightmares

This chapter will be the battle of the Ally of the Byakugan and the Fate of Eternal Nightmares.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 52: Fate of Eternal Nightmares<strong>

After coming here at the Sun Moon Lake, Yume noticed a familiar figure standing on the water.

_"Yori?"_ she thought, implying. However, she recognized the attire and knew that wasn't Yori. "Is that you, Unmei?"

Unmei became glad after Yume knew that he was here and said to her, "Yume, I have a request for you. But before that, remember I told you that Yori and I are the same?"

She remembered he told her before from her first encounter with him.

"Yes." She nodded.

"I'm just a half-Akuma Akumu, created by Megami-sama," he confessed.

Yume became surprised that Megami created him a half-Akuma Akumu.

"But the truth is... I'm Yori's opposing manifested self, known as the Fate of Eternal Nightmares. I have his blood as proof and his other self. I have true darkness as my loyalty to Megami-sama. And I have... his face as the fact that I'm him," Unmei explained as he turned to Yume, showing his face to her. Yume's white eyes expanded in fear and shock but yet surprise, as she saw Unmei's face. "Did you see my face, Yume? It's Yori's, your protective and dearest twin brother's."

After showing his face to Yume, he smiled trustworthy at her for the very first time.

Somewhere in the throne room of the Crimson Butterfly Caste, Megami sat on her throne with her legs crossed and her hands on her lap. Suddenly, her six shinobi of nightmares came before them.

"Everyone. Did you defeated the Inyo shinobi already?" Megami asked.

"I'm afraid not, Megami-sama. Unfortunately, some rebel Akuma Akumu took them." Ikari answered.

Megami became surprised quickly after noticing that her rebel Akuma Akumu captured six Inyo shinobi.

"Rebel Akuma Akumu?" she replied.

"We don't know why, but one of us didn't summon those before." Netami explained.

Megami pondered silently and noticed that someone was using her Akuma Akumu after taking advantage of them.

_"Could it be because of that person...?"_

"Megami-sama?" Ikari called her.

"I'm sure someone's responsible for using my creations and captured the Inyo shinobi." she stated.

"Do you know who did this?" Joyoku asked.

"Maybe, maybe not."

Yoku began to wonder if Yori had joined them due to being the first person who received true darkness.

"Hey, did you recruit that kid already, Megami-sama? If you did, I'd never accept that." Yoku asked.

Megami realized that Yoku was asking about Yori Yukisaki.

"To be honest... He refused my offer." she answered.

Yoku became shocked that Yori denied Megami's request.

"He's not going to be your puppet leader?" he implied.

The five shinobi of nightmares became shockly surprised after Yoku asked their leader about the new puppet leader.

"Yes, he won't become my puppet leader even though he has true darkness within him."

"What is going on, Yoku?" asked Ikari with a slight curious look.

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Netami demanded his answer.

Yoku smirked a little and became unamused. Knowing his teammates wanted his answer, he chuckled a little.

"The truth is that Megami decided to choose that Inyo shinobi brat who received true darkness before us, after my former rival left us after deciding to go with her once the nightmare game's completed for the first time."

Before Yoji and the Inyo shinobi infiltrate the castle, Megami sat on the throne all by herself while the crimson butterflies fluttered around her. While sitting alone, she noticed that Yoku came to her as he walked toward her.

"Yoku-kun. I didn't expect that you came to see me."

"Well, since you came back, I've decided to see you, Megami-chan. It's just giving someone important to me a great respect, that's all." Yoku answered, giving a smooth smirk.

Megami chuckled at his reply after feeling respected.

"I see."

She recognized Yoku's wounds on his body and face from his battle with Yoji were healed and he wore his new usual black sleeveless shirt and black shinobi sandals.

"Are you okay? Your wounds are gone. Did Kabuto-san tended them?" she asked.

To his dismay, he looked away with a disagreeing look on his face.

"Can't believe that I forcibly apologized to him after I commented about his cute and beautiful challenger before he apologized to me for making me feel pain from those burns." he complained.

"Is that so? I never knew that you tried to flirt about Yume." Megami replied after she noticed that he was talking about Yume.

"Well, too bad that I can't kill her because my former rival defeated me and gave me terrible burns on my body." Yoku reminded himself with dismay. "You're going to fight her, right Megami-chan?"

Megami knew that she must fight the challenger in the final battle and was fated to be her opponent.

"Yes. I must fight her." she answered.

After listening to Megami's answer, Yoku wondered about the Inyo shinobi Yori he confronted and knew that he had true darkness.

"Hey, there's something I want to know. I'm sure you know about that, Megami-chan." he asked.

"Something you want to know? Tell me."

Yoku took a deep breath and began to answer, "There's someone other than us has true darkness and he's an outsider."

The goddess of kinjutsu became surprised, suddenly realizing that Yoku's talking about Yori Yukisaki.

"You're talking about Yori-kun, right Yoku-kun?" she inquired.

"Yeah, him..." Yoku became displeased. "I heard from Ikari that he's the person who helped you to find your real self."

"Yes, that's true. He's very important to me."

To Yoku's surprise but yet confusion, he noticed that Yori's more important to his leader.

"Him, very important to you? You're kidding, right?" he asked with a slightly curious smile.

She shook her head to him and replied, "I can't be kidding, Yoku-kun. He's our ally. As long he has true darkness within him, he won't become our enemy."

Yoku lowered his head with a disagreeing look on his face.

"Since our former eighth nightmare left our group, I'm thinking that I might choose Yori-kun as our new puppet leader," she decided.

All the sudden, Yoku raised his head up and became shocked after hearing Megami's suggestion about recruiting Yori as the new puppet leader.

"What!? You're going to recruit him to join us!?"

"Yes, I'm sure he'll join us after trying to convince him."

The Ice Release user went speechless about recruiting the first person who obtained true darkness from Megami. His face and eyes became resented. After having conversation with Megami, he began to leave the throne room.

"Where are you going, Yoku-kun?"

"Going to join Ikari and the others." answered Yoku. Before he was about to leave, he began to ask her again. "Do you think that'll work? Convincing him to join us? What if he refuse?"

Megami became aware about trying to convince Yori to join the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"I'll find a way to recruit him. I have to try, after all."

Noticing that was her answer, he left her all by herself again in the throne room. In the middle of the hallway, he stopped walking and suddenly punched on the wall with his right hand. After punching to the wall, it became frozen as his right hand was icy.

"There's no way that Inyo shinobi brat would join us," Yoku exclaimed with a snarl. "I'll just have to kill him then..."

As Yoku finished explaining to them, they became surprisingly shocked after realizing that the icy latter was trying to kill Yori.

"Despite listening to Kabuto-san's orders to stop those outsiders, you were trying to kill him?!" Netami shocked.

"I failed to kill that brat because of my former rival got in my way."

"Yoji-kun got in your way?" Megami implied.

"Yeah..."

Ikari became curious about recruiting a member of the Yukisaki clan and twin brother of the current challenger to their side.

"Megami-sama, is there a reason why would you want him to join us?" he asked curiously.

"A reason? I just wanted to help him like three years ago. But in the end, he doesn't need my help." Megami answered.

"You wanted to help an outsider with true darkness?" said Taidana, much to his surprise.

"Yes. He has a reason other than saving his dear twin sister."

"A reason other than saving the current challenger?" Ikari replied. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ikari-san's right. What do you mean by that, Megami-sama?" Joyoku agreed with the yokai samurai.

"Yeah, I'm getting confused right now..." Kuzuri responded as he scratched his head and became bewildered.

Megami noticed that they wanted to know after asking her about Yori's main reason. She chuckled.

"You really want to know? Very well, before Yume was chosen to be the challenger, she was kidnapped."

To their shock except for Ikari, they never knew that Yume Yukisaki was captured before she became the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"That girl was kidnapped before she was chosen to be the challenger?" Joyoku replied as she became speechless.

"I don't believe it. Who would kidnap a kunoichi from Konohagakure?!" Netami asked with shock and confusion.

"Why don't you ask Ikari-san? He knows about the kidnapping," the kinjutsu suggested.

The five shinobi didn't recognized that Ikari knew about the kidnapping.

"Ikari, you know about this?" Yoku asked.

"Yes, I had a conversation with Kabuto Yakushi. Yume Yukisaki's kidnapper is actually himself. He's the one who captured her in order to choose her as the challenger by sending Akuma Akumu to take her alive." the yokai explained.

After Ikari explained about Yume's kidnapping, five shinobi of nightmares became shocked that Kabuto was her captor. In the end, they became speechless. Yoku began to leave the throne, letting everyone know.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Netami asked after seeing him about to leave all the sudden.

"I'm going to my room. I'm done talking and listening about the cute challenger who was kidnapped by Kabuto." Yoku replied as he already left.

After seeing Yoku left, Megami gave an order to them, "Everyone, you should take a rest after your battles against those outsiders. I'll call you back if I have something important."

"Yes, Megami-sama." Everyone replied together with respect as they began to leave.

After five of them left and Megami was all by herself once again, she noticed that she felt Unmei's true darkness and saw Yume was here as well while looking in the half-Akuma Akumu's true darkness.

"So it's about to begin, huh?" the kinjutsu goddess said to herself as she looked up at the ceiling with a surprising smile.

In Yume's dream world, she became speechless after seeing Unmei's face. She never knew that the face she saw looked like her twin brother's.

"Unmei..." Unmei began to use his true darkness, much to her shock. Yume recognized the intense dark feeling as she saw something familiar with. _"What is this? It's the same from the last time."_

As he let true darkness engulfed him, he pleaded to her, "Please defeat me, Yume. You have to complete the game as soon as possible! This is why I became your last opponent!"

The true darkness finally covered Unmei in a powerful way, giving a strong wind. Yume covered herself with her arms and stood still from being blown away. After a strong wind disappeared and true darkness encased him, she noticed that her soon to be opponent had changed different. His body became shadow-like and his white eyes became red. His appearance had dramatically changed as well. Unmei wore the same outfit as Yori's including the blank forehead protector.

Unmei began to summon a dark portal behind him. All the sudden, the portal became bigger as it engulfed Yume and Unmei.

It took Yume to a different location in her dream world and noticed it was a village, known as the Seirei village, which was destroyed by Megami three years ago.

After she was taken to another place, she noticed Unmei was floating in the sky as he was about to transformed into a raven-like creature as he released shadow wings on his back. He summoned a dark katana and flew toward her as he began to attack her, much to her shock. Yume quickly unsheathed her katana and blocked his attack with his blade.

Blocking the first strike, she danced around with her katana with the wind.

"Kaze no Mai."

A dance with the wind slashed Unmei, but only for him to dodge. However, after dodging her attack, autumn leaves appeared out of nowhere and surrounded him. Trapping him around the leaves, she delivered her final strike at Unmei with her katana and released her genjutsu.

Unemi's shadow wings disappeared and almost stood defeated. However, he wasn't yet defeated. He summoned another dark portal once again on the ground and it began to took them once again.

After the second dark portal took the two shinobi, Yume was taken to the third location. The Hyuga's ally noticed this location and it was the Valley of the End and she stood on the infinite water. She also recognized that Unmei was transforming again. After his second transformation, he received a summoned his dark scythe and a shadow mask with a black dragon tattoo on the right side similar to the former one given by Megami.

Unmei went toward her and attacked her once again with his dark scythe, however Yume dodged again. She quickly used her katana again to block its blade from the scythe.

_"He becomes more stronger than I thought."_ she analyzed Unmei's second transformation and strength.

She used her Kazekiri to break the blade and then used her Juken with a palm heel strike at his chest.

"Shotei!"

She paralyzed Unmei temporarily, sending him backwards.

After becoming quickly defeated the second time, he began to summon the dark portal the third time, putting his hand in the air. Once again, the third one engulfed them.

The third location was the chamber with the white camellias where Yume was asleep in order to complete the final stage in her dream world.

After Yume came to the third destination, Unmei's third transformation became a shadow demon. He had two dark horns on his head and claws on his hands and feet. His third form looked similiar to Yoji's hell fire demon form.

Unmei quickly towards Yume and began to claw his opponent, only for her to hastily dodge. Yume blocked his claw attacks, using her Juken.

_"Now he's the most strongest. Is there the way to defeat him?"_

She activated her Byakugan to find the weakpoint, but there was no where to be seen. However, the chakra point system was similiar to Yori's. She had to find out and made a Juken stance.

After making a specfic stance, she went towards her opponent while he came towards her and performed her special technique. She struck two strikes, four, eight, and continuing on. As she finished her last strike at Unmei, he went backwards, flying away from her. After flying backwards, he landed on the ground. Yume became worried if he's okay after finishing her off. After defeating Unmei, his form returned into a shadow form with Yori's attire and forehead protector which was blank.

"Unmei..."

All the sudden, his body began to float in the air as his true darkness appeared once again. To her bewilderment, she began to prepare herself again.

When that happened, his head began to feel pain, clutching it with his both head. He curled into a ball with swinging his body around. He grunted painfully as he overused his true darkness. And then, he screamed vastly, spreading his arms wide. True darkness began to engulf the whole place including Yume and Unmei. Yume became shocked that everything became darkness after being engulfed.

After true darkness swallowed everything, Yume found herself in the dark and blank place. The Hyuga's Ally looked around and then suddenly saw a familiar figure she knew.

"Yori?" she implied with sudden surprise.

She quickly went towards her twin brother as he turned around at her, but all the sudden, the black blank place disappeared including Yori. After coming towards Yori, she noticed that she came to the Sun Moon Lake once again.

And then, she shockly saw a dark shadow-like cocoon and then began to disappear, showing the figure himself.

Much to her shock, she noticed that Unmei became more different than the first three forms. The form she just saw was simliar to Yori's appearance and attire, only for that it's the actual same as her twin brother.

His appearance was not shadow-like anymore and his forehead protector was black with a symbol of Inyogakure. Also, the attire was the same as Yori's.

"Unmei..." Yume noticed that Unmei made his fourth transformation.

"This form will be the last. Now please, Yume, defeat me right now!" Unmei exclaimed.

The last battle against Unmei finally came, but will Yume defeat him or not?


	54. Chapter 53: Unmei's Everlasting Request

**Chapter 53: Unmei's Everlasting Request**

After Unmei gave Yume her chance to defeat him the final time, she began to hesitate. If she defeat him, what will happen to him? Without any other options but to defeat him, she began to fight him only using taijutsu.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the wastelands of the abyss, Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana walked around endlessly.

"This is getting confusing. We can't find a way out," Kuta complained. "What if we can't get out of this weird place?"

"We can't give up yet, Kuta. We don't know until we'll try to find a way out." Seiichi stated.

"But... what if we can't get out of here?" Rika worried while agreeing with Kuta's concerns.

"Rika." Pana replied.

Tsukida suddenly stopped and the others noticed that he stopped walking all the sudden.

"What is it, Tsukida?" Kuta asked.

"There's someone." he answered.

"Huh? Someone? Where?"

Tsukida pointed at the west side. They looked to the west and saw a shadow figure, wearing a Chinese outfit with a shadow-like grayish medium hair. A figure summoned a door with black camellias imprinted, much to their surprise, and then entered and left, leaving the door for them.

"Hey, that strange guy left the door for us," Kuta noticed. "Is he showing us the way out?"

"I'm not sure about that. Leaving a door for us can be suspicious." Seiichi became concerned.

"Suspicious? Hey, what're ya talking about, Seiichi? Don't tell me you're disagreeing that shady guy is helping us or not."

"Well, it's not that I'm disagreeing. It's just I have a bad feeling about this."

"Seiichi," Rika worried.

"Then we'll just go after him. We don't have a choice, right?" Tsukida convinced Seiichi and the others.

Everyone agreed with Tsukida and then quickly entered the door before it began to close. Once they've entered, the door suddenly disappeared. Suddenly, the Nightmare Seeker appeared after the door had vanished into thin air. Knowing that Team Tsukida and the two kunoichi from Inyogakure would encounter dangerous consequences while going after the shadow phantom, he began to look on with a cold glare.

"This vision. I'll make it come true in order to make you to feel despair, _Kaito_." he exclaimed very coldly as he disappeared into black petals of camellias.

In Yume's dream world, Yume blocked and dodged Unmei's attacks, forcing herself on holding back. She panted after blocking the attacks without further ado.

_"Those attacks. They're just like Yori's."_

All the sudden, Unmei sent a sudden attack on Yume, much to her shock.

"Kurai Shishi Kogeki!"

She quickly moved her both arms to protect her from the next attack. Her feet was forced to move backwards on the water after the attack and then she stopped moving back as she controlled her feet.

_"I can't hold back any longer. I have to defeat him, but..."_ she worried about Unmei if she defeat him. _"What would happen to Unmei?"_

She activated her Byakugan and began to focus her chakra.

_"I guess I have to use it then. His chakra is dark just like Yori's."_

Her both hands began to encoat with black and white chakras, thus performing the Ju Inyoken. She knew that she had to defeat him no matter what.

Back then, she knew that she and Yori trained together in order for her to improve her new technique developed by their chichiue. During that time, she almost used all of her chakra as she knelt down on the ground, panting.

"You still almost got it, Yume." Yori complied as he gave a hand to his twin sister.

"I have to do my best." Yume replied with determination while standing up.

"But you don't have to force yourself, Yume. After all, this technique is still powerful."

Yume nodded, agreeing with him.

"Yes, it is true."

Yori began to explain to her about the Ju Inyoken, "Remember what Yoshiro-shisho and Akuma-senpai told about it, it can only be used on those who have light and dark nature affinities."

After remembering the explanation of the Ju Inyoken, she began to block Unmei's attacks and noticed that he went behind her, preparing the ultimate attack. However, she quickly dodged away, to Unmei's shock.

"What?!" he flinched as she dodged.

Yume made a stance similar to the Hyuga clan's Hakke Rokujunyonsho with her black and white encoated chakra on her both hands.

"Inyo Hakke Rokujunyonsho! Two strikes! Four strikes! Eight strikes! Sixteen strikes! Thirty-two strikes!" While sending thirty-two strikes, she gave the final strike with both hands. "Sixty-four strikes!"

Unmei's chakra flow began to stop instantly. His true darkness began to flow uncontrollably, sending the waves of the lake to swallow Yume.

Then, the waves sent Yume on the steep stony steps near by the red bridge. She went upstairs and noticed that Unmei had returned back to normal as the true darkness began to weaken. He knelt on the ground with his knees.

"Unmei. I... I don't have a choice. But... is this how it should be?" she asked with depression after defeating him by force.

"No," Unmei shook his head. "This game... is not yet complete."

Suddenly, Unmei began to fall down, only for her to catch his body.

Yume became shocked that the Seven Stages of Nightmares wasn't complete yet after defeating Unmei.

"What? Why? It's not finished after I've defeated you?" she implied.

"Yes, the game is not complete. Because of what I did, I broke one of those rules to become your opponent; one challenger must defeat a member of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. With that rule, I'm not one of them." he explained.

After hearing that Unmei broke a rule for not part of the game, she noticed his body began to turn into myriad of dark butterflies very shockly.

"Unmei!"

She began to heal Unmei, only for her to be stopped as he grabbed her both hands as she gasped.

"You can't heal me, Yume. The day after my creation, I was told to obey Megami-sama. And now, I've disobeyed her. This is my punishment." he stated, grabbing her hands gently.

To her utmost shock hearing his consequence, her white eyes began to shed tear drops.

"Unmei... No, this isn't right. You can't disappear after all you're doing this for me!" Yume objectively exclaimed to him as he began to fade away soon.

She cried and shook a little while her hands were still held by Unmei. He noticed that he saw tears for the first time.

"Why are you crying? It's the first time, seeing you shedding tears." he commented. "Yume, you don't need to cry. There's something you must finish."

She held her head up and looked at Unmei as she stopped crying and then replied, "Something I must finish..."

"Yume Yukisaki, complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares. This purpose as the challenger gave you a reason." he requested. "You have to do this for your sake and mine as well. I know you can do it."

As the half of his body almost faded away and before he began to disappear, he smiled once again to Yume as he released her hands.

"I'm glad... that Yori always protect you as your twin. I never knew that this is his potential and purpose," He gave his last words to her before he fade away completely. "Good luck... and goodbye, Yume."

As his body faded into so many of butterflies, his memories of himself appeared in front of Yume. His creation, his purpose and devotion to Megami, and his other self Yori.

Looking at the dark butterflies disappeared in the sky, she stood up and closed her eyes, wiping her tears away.

"Unmei, this request of yours. After coming to the last stage so far, I'll complete this game no matter what. I'll make it come true, I promise! That's my purpose as the challenger." Yume exclaimed with determination.

With her reborn determination, she accepted Unmei's last request to complete the game for good.

In the dark emptied void, Unmei became unconscious, falling into the endless hole of nothingness after his defeated fate by Yume.

_"This void... is so dark and nothingness. I see... So this is where I will disappear soon?"_ he thought as his eyes were still closed while falling in nothingness.

"No, you mustn't disappear, Unmei-kun." All the sudden, a unfamiliar voice came to him.

_"Who's... there?"_ Unmei heard a voice as he slowly regained his consciousness and saw a light glowing butterfly before his eyes.

"You're not here to disappear. There is the true reason you must have instead of receiving your punishment, Unmei-kun." the voice inside of the butterfly explained to him about the true puprose.

After the truth had revealed, what was Unmei's purpose despite that he received his unknown fateful consequence?


	55. Chapter 54: Door of Memories

**Chapter 54: Door of Memories**

After accepting Unmei's wish to complete the nightmare game for good, Yume tried to look around as she walked. Suddenly, a glowing butterfly appeared to her.

"Yume-sama."

The Ally of the Byakugan recognized this familiar voice within a glowing butterfly.

"Ayumu-san." she said.

After finding out that it was the dream shopkeeper, the butterfly landed on her fingertips.

"I knew that I might find you after your battle at the Sun Moon Lake." Ayumu stated. She noticed that Yume's still the current challenger of the nightmare game. "Is there something I can help you?"

Yume knew that Ayumu wanted to help her and nodded at the butterfly.

"Yes, there is something." she answered.

The Hyuga clan's ally told Ayumu about her battle against Unmei and his request to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares for her sake and the latter's.

"I see," Ayumu understood. "It seems something's missing about this last stage."

"I'm sure I have to fight Megami of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. Unmei told me that he wasn't one of them." she explained.

The light butterfly took flight from her fingertips and then summoned a door that's connected to the Abyss of True Nightmares.

"This door might take you to the true final stage, Yume-sama. And I have some news to tell you as well." the dream shopkeeper mentioned.

"News to tell me? I need to know, Ayumu-san."

Ayumu told her about Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana were taken by rebel Akuma Akumu to the abyss.

"They got captured and taken to the Abyss of True Nightmares!" Yume shocked.

"Yes... Your sensei Kai, Yoji-kun, and Yori-kun went there to save them."

"Kai-sensei." she recognized after knowing that they went to retrieve Team Tsukida and her teammates.

Ayumu knew that Yume recognized that Kai Kurosaki's Kaito the Dream Keeper as she smiled.

"Yume-sama, I believe that your dream came true."

She nodded. "Kai-sensei... I'd never knew that he would become a dream keeper."

"I see. Congrats." the dream shopkeeper replied to her for her dream came true.

Yume looked at the door that will lead her to the Abyss of True Nightmares.

"So this door will take me to the Abyss of True Nightmares?" she implied.

"Yes, please be cautious. There'll be many Akuma Akumu controlled by Kai the Nightmare Seeker."

After Ayumu warned her about the monsters and the Nightmare Seeker, she heard the name Kai.

"Kai the Nightmare Seeker..." she replied.

"To tell you the truth, he's the real nightmare self of Kai Kurosaki. I have a feeling that the Seeker has stayed and wandered around Akumu no Kuni for three years. Also, he doesn't have memories of his death or even yourself except his past life of Kai Kurosaki."

"Kai-sensei's other self... I see, now I understand." Yume realized about the Seeker she encountered from the last stage. At that time, she saw him in pain as he clutched his head as he stared at her. "Kai-sensei's other self... He doesn't remember me from three years ago and how did he got killed by Kabuto."

"That's correct." Ayumu agreed with Yume.

"Thank you for summoning a door for you. I have to find out soon or later no matter how it goes."

"Before you go, I need to ask you. I want you to find my created nephew." Ayumu requested her.

"Your created nephew? There's someone else other than Megami, right? Ayumu-san, are you... related to your nephew and Megami?" she asked, curiously.

Ayumu, in a glowing butterfly form, nodded with wings fluttering. "The truth is... I'm the imoto-chan of the late Sannin Yokami."

To Yume's shock, she never knew that Ayumu was the younger sister of deceased Yokami.

"Ayumu-san... I..." she tried to apologize to the dream keeper, only for the latter to shook her head.

"It's all right. After you defeated him, I have no right to blame you. Since he had interest about creating kinjutsu, he did made two creations before his death; one's Megami-sama and the other boy I mentioned is Yumekui-kun."

"Yumekui." Yume replied the young boy's name.

"He has the same ability as mine's; seeing dream visions. But he's a dream eater, a baku who can eat people's dreams and nightmares. He also faced his other self and his dream's that he doesn't want to be alone. And he was captured by a rebel Akuma Akumu as well." Ayumu explained about her created nephew. "I have a feeling that he can't avoid all by himself in this abyss. So I need you to find him as you can if possible."

Yume nodded, knowing that she may find Yumekui with or without the Byakugan in the abyss. She accepted her request as a result.

"I hope you'll complete the nightmare game as soon as possible, Yume-sama." Ayumu wished her good luck. "And... the final opponent can be either Megami or... the Nightmare Seeker."

To Yume's shock as Ayumu's dream vision was foretold that was either Megami or the Seeker would be chosen to be the challenger's final opponent, despite this situation, she knew that she've to complete the game no matter what or how.

"I can't give up yet and the final stage must be complete or not." she exclaimed. "I'll find out who's my last opponent."

As the door to the abyss opened itself, she took a deep breath and entered. After she entered, the door vanished itself and Ayumu in a form of a light butterfly disappeared.

Meanwhile, Team Tsukida along with Rika and Pana came out from the door and noticed the location was different.

"Huh? This is..." Tsukida recognized the second location of the abyss.

"No way. Is that possible?" Kuta became speechless.

What kind of location that they came and recognized was nothing but Inyogakure. The buildings, the mansion of the Inyokage, and everything that appeared were the same.

"Inyogakure..." Seiichi claimed.

"Why did we come here?" Rika wondered as she looked around.

Pana looked and noticed there were no people around here in Inyogakure.

"It's not the real Inyogakure we know." she stated.

"Is something wrong, Pana?" Kuta asked.

"I mean this place doesn't have villagers or shinobi. Look around at the shops and restaurants."

Tsukida heard Pana's reason about why _Inyogakure_ was here in the abyss and then agreed with her. "I think I agree with her. Let's split up and look around any places."

And so, they searched any person around and realized that Pana's correct that this Inyogakure wasn't the place they knew.

"Pana's right. There's no one around at all." Rika became worried after she and Seiichi can't find their chichiue at their sushi bar and tea shop.

"Damn it. Don't tell me it's a ghost town after we can't find anyone." Kuta became confused.

"Could this be still the same place after we've entered the door?" Seiichi asked.

"I believe so..." Tsukida agreed with him. "That shadow phantom we encountered previously is trying to tempt us on following him."

"Are you saying that we're going to follow him? Sounds like following the leader to me right now." Pana complied sternly.

"But how? Finding the mysterious phantom is the problem to handle." Rika claimed her question.

Tsukida knew that Rika was worried about the current topic.

"We'll be fine and find out who's the phantom we confronted." he consoled Rika.

"Okay." she nodded at Tsukida.

Kuta noticed a shadow phantom's eavesdropping at them from behind and alerted the others, "Hey, guys! Behind there at the meat bun stand!"

Tsukida, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana turned at Kuta's direction and they noticed it's really a phantom shockly.

"It's him!" Pana exclaimed.

"That phantom we're talking about!" Rika shocked.

A shadow phantom already became noticeable from them and quickly fled away.

"We have to go after him quickly!" Tsukida told them to follow the latter.

"Got it! Right!" they replied individually.

As they went after the shadow figure around the illusion of Inyogakure, suddenly the phantom summoned three Akuma Akumu as they transformed into Inyo ANBU with their shadow-like blindfolds around their eyes. They stopped as three Akuma Akumu in a form of an Inyo ANBU interfered their way.

"Inyo ANBU!" Seiichi recognized the ANBU uniform of their village in Akuma Akumu form.

"Wait, those three are Akuma Akumu in disguise. Did he summon them?!" Tsukida noticed that it was the phantom's doing.

After they got in the enemy's way, the phantom looked back and then disappeared into shadow petals of a camellia.

"He's gone!" Rika surprised.

Suddenly one of the Akuma Akumu quickly went towards Rika, much to her shock, and then it unsheathed a Chinese jian at her.

"Rika, look out!" Seiichi got in its way and then blocked its attack with a dao sword while protecting his imoto-chan.

"Pana, Kuta. You two handle with the first ANBU on the left. I'll handle the middle one." Tsukida intstructed the two taijutsu experts.

"We're on it!" Pana nodded at the Yukisaki heir.

As Pana and Kuta handled with the ANBU on the left, Tsukida unsheathed his Yoshiyuki and blocked the tanto's attack. Blocking its attack, he unleashed his ougi to finish his opponent off.

"Ryu no Mugen Hokori!"

A slash of a dragon struck it down as it began to fade away. With its defeat, Tsukida drew his katana away and then made sure that two groups were doing fine.

"Hang in there." he prayed for them.

On the right side of the battle, Seiichi and Rika prepared their collaboration technique with their scrolls together.

"Soshi Ranbu!"

A ninja tool wild dance in a form of Chinese guardian lions attacked towards at their opponent. As the ninja tool siblings summon their ninja weapons, an Akumu Akumu got defeated because of their barrage attack and collaboration technique and then disappeared into nothingness.

"We did it." Seiichi took a sigh after the battle.

"Yeah," Rika agreed with him. "I hope Pana and Kuta-kun are okay there."

On the last battle to the left, the taijutsu shinobi were about to deal with the last opponent. First, Kuta used his Hikariton technique at his opponent in order to blind it with light.

"Hikariton: Taiyonken!"

He threw a glowing punch at the Akuma Akumu under disguise an Inyo ANBU, covering its face from the light.

"Pana, now!" Kuta exclaimed at his childhood friend to prepare her final attack.

"Zessho: Mekuraken no Kuro Ryu!"

She summoned a blind dark dragon and then gave a last restort at her opponent, finishing it off. With that, the last Akuma Akumu dropped down on the ground and then disappeared.

After a three-way battle had ended, Tsukida looked around and noticed that their target already got away.

"We almost had him," Kuta sighed in disbelief. "If those three didn't get in our way, that should be easy..."

"I wonder where did that phantom go after we defeated our enemy." Seiichi wondered about the latter's whereabouts.

While they're talking about their important target, Rika noticed a door appeared to them. A door with an imprinted Kanji character called "Memories" on the center attracted her attention.

"Everyone, there's another door. But this time, there's a word for memories." she explained about the door to them.

"A door of memories? I wonder what it's mean." Pana became curious and yet somehow suspicious.

"Rika-chan, can you open that door?" Kuta asked.

Rika hesitated at first and wondered what if this door could be a trap. Seiichi noticed that his imoto became worried and patted on her shoulder.

"Let's try it by opening together." he suggested.

To her surprise, she let her worries aside and agreed with him. "Okay."

They let their hands hold the door knob and then opened the door of memories. Opening it, a sudden light engulfed them to their surprise as their eyes were squinting and their arms covered them from looking at the glow.

Three years ago in Inyogakure at a tea shop and sushi bar, during the nighttime before closing, Seiichi tidied up the sushi bar along with the tables and tea cups and then he went to his room. Before he went, he noticed that Rika's room was closed and realized she's still inside when they went home after the Inyo Academy. With a long sigh, he began to knock the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Rika. Can I come in?" Seiichi replied and asked if he could go to her room.

Waiting for her to open the door, she nodded even though he's her older brother and then let him inside. At her room, she sat on her bed with a depressing look on her face.

"Seiichi... When's Tou-chan coming back?" she asked.

After receiving a question from Rika, he knew that he's not sure that their tou-san's coming back or not. During that time, a ninja tool shinobi named Seirin received a mission along with a taijutsu kunoichi Shaolin and as a result, they went missing in action during the mission.

"Inyokage-sama suggests us that we have to wait for the news. They're still looking for them for a while." he explained to her.

"I see..." she understood as she crossed her arms around her legs.

Seiichi began to think a way to cheer her up and knew that he got an idea. With that, he tried to convince Rika, "Hey, I heard that you need a shurikenjutsu training from your sensei. So I'm going to help you train."

"Shurikenjutsu, now that you mention it. I do have a talent of using ninja tool like you, Seiichi." she remarked her skill.

"Well, let's go to our oyaji's training dojo. We can set our target dummies while we're at it."

She stood up from the bed and became cheered up as she nodded with Seiichi, "Yeah! Let's go."

After the events of the ninja tool siblings of Seirin, the memory door disappeared. To Tsukida, Kuta, and Pana's shock, they never knew that this door led to their memories of Seiichi and Rika.

"This door," Tsukida began to realize. "It's about their past from three years after Seirin-san and Shaolin-san's disappearance."

Rika saw her former three year self and began to understand why.

"So that was how I felt, waiting for someone to come home from a long-term mission." she recognized this reason.

"Rika..." Pana began to console her with a pat on her shoulder.

"Hey, why are you so worried about me, Pana? I'm all right. It's all thanks to Seiichi for cheering me up." Rika smiled at her partner and friend. "If it wouldn't for him, I would do nothing, but waiting for someone to come back."

Kuta began to wonder why there's a memory door appeared after they defeated three enemies summoned by a shadow phantom.

"Hey, guys. Something really bothers me. After we defeated our three opponents, why did this door shows us Seiichi and Rika-chan's memories?" he asked this question.

"Hm, you're right, Kuta. After we fought them, a door of memories appeared and then Rika and I opened the door together." Seiichi answered his reason.

"So what should we do?" Rika asked anyone.

"I think we need to find that phantom we're supposed to go after him. I'm sure he's the reason to summon Akuma Akumu and left a memory door for us." Tsukida convinced the five.

Everyone agreed with the Yukisaki clan heir and then another door with black camellias imprinted appeared once again to their surprise.

"This door's similar from the previous location." Rika remembered the black camellias they've confronted from the last location.

"I wonder where this door would lead us to." Pana wondered about the next location after they came to _Inyogakure_ with no one around here.

"Let's go!" Tsukida exclaimed.

Everyone nodded with them and then the door opened by itself as they entered. After entering to the next location, the door once again disappeared into thin air.


	56. Chapter 55: Door of Memories — 2

**Chapter 55: Door of Memories — 2**

In the Abyss of True Nightmares, a door appeared and then opened all by itself. Yume came out from the door as it began to disappear soon after her arrival. Her arrival's location became a bamboo forest filled with black camellias. To her bewildered surprise, she wondered if she could find Yumekui, created son of Yokami, ototo-chan of Megami, and created nephew of Ayumu the Dream Shopkeeper.

"I wonder if I may find Yumekui-kun in this place," she said to herself. As she began to walk, she suddenly stepped on something on the ground, seeing a half of a door key with a simple white color. "A door key? It has a white color, and it's missing the other half."

After picking it up, she began to wonder if this key's connected to the nightmare game. To remind herself about the white half door key, she put it away in her ninja tool pouch and then started looking for Yumekui with her activated Byakugan.

Searching for the dream eater, she deactivated her dojutsu and noticed something felt strange. Just then, a sudden voice appeared.

"Leave... Leave me alone!"

To her surprise, she recognized the young boy was surrounded by three Akuma Akumu and stood against the stone wall. She quickly came to his help and stood between him and three enemies.

"You're okay?" she asked the young boy.

To the young latter's surprise, he began to say her name, "Yume-san..."

The young boy, who was captured by an Akuma Akumu and taken to the abyss, was none other than Yumekui. The Hyuga clan's ally noticed that he said her name.

_"How did he know my name?"_

Aside from that, she need to defeat three of them as she activated her Byakugan once again and used her Juken stance.

"Stay here." she told Yumekui as he nodded to her.

As her three opponents went towards for an attack, she dodged three attacks from each of them and gave them a final Juken strike. Three Akuma Akumu defeated as they disappeared into nothingness. After the quick battle, she deactivated her Byakugan and turned at the dream eater. She noticed that his right forearm was bleeding a little and then performed her Shosenjutsu while healing the young latter.

"Just stay still, you'll get better."

Yumekui nodded and wondered why did she came to his rescue.

"You're Yumekui-kun, right?" she asked his name while healing his wound.

To his surprise, he quickly nodded once again.

"Why are you here, Yume-san? Aren't you supposed to complete the nightmare game?" he asked, curiously.

After hearing his question, she knew that her real self's still asleep and she's still in the dream world of hers.

"I'm still in the last stage of this game, but I may be fighting against Megami or..." she stopped herself from saying the next person which was Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

"Yume-san?" Yumekui wondered if something happened with her.

Yume shook her head and replied, "I'm okay."

As she finished mending his wound, she stood up.

"Just stay with me, Yumekui-kun. For now, I'll protect you from any harm while trying to complete this game as possible." she suggested.

Yumekui nodded as a reply.

While they started walking together side by side, a half white door key, inside of Yume's ninja tool pouch, began to glow all the sudden. The dream eater noticed something glowing and told her.

"Yume-san, your ninja tool pouch."

She noticed something glowing in her pouch and took something out from it. She recognized that the half key's actually glowing on her left hand.

_"This key... It's showing me the way to the final stage."_

Meanwhile, another door with black camellias appeared and was opened. Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana came out on the third location.

"So... where are we right now?" Kuta looked the surroundings around them.

"This is a temple of Inyogakure. The Jade Temple," Seiichi claimed as he explained about the third destination.

"The Jade Temple..." Pana replied as she began to remember and then went silent.

"Hm? What's the matter, Pana?" wondered Rika as she noticed that her childhood friend and partner looked tense.

"It's nothing."

Tsukida made a plan to find a shadow phantom, their current target, to his teammates.

"Listen, our current target might be somewhere right here in the Jade Temple." explained the Yukisaki clan heir to them about their target. "So be aware about the enemy we may confront them."

"Got it!" Everyone agreed with him.

And so, they pursuited for the phantom in the Jade Temple. Kuta and Pana went inside of the temple as they looked around behind the pillars.

"Well, nothing here around these pillars," Kuta complied to himself after investigating. After examining the pillars of the temple, he noticed that Pana, his childhood, became down lately after they received orders from Tsukida to search indoors. "Pana, is something the matter? You're feeling down just now since we got here."

Pana noticed that Kuta realized that she felt tense after their arrival to the Jade Temple.

"Yeah, remember you first met me at this very temple before we became shinobi?" she reminded him about their first meeting six years ago.

"You're right. I remembered that. I saw you training with Shaolin-nee-chan after Academy," Kuta remembered at that time. While remembering that memory, he noticed that he learned about Pana's gender despite of her tomboyish appearance and attire. "Well, it was before I recognize that you're a girl, of course."

He sheepishly laughed with a cold sweat drop.

"Right, it's strange that anyone thought of me as a boy. Since you understand how I feel, you're my first friend to hang with."

"Yeah, don't forget you're my rival also."

Pana sighed in a discouraged way and replied, "Try not to push it, Kuta."

After they're finishing their conservation, the tomboyish kunoichi noticed someone's watching them.

"Someone's spying on us." she alerted him.

"Huh? Where!?" Kuta prepared himself as he looked both ways.

Pana used her kunai from the shuriken holster and threw at the shadow, hiding behind a pillar. The shadow figure came out behind the pillar and was once again their current target.

"There you are!" he noticed that the shadow phantom spied on them after their conservation about their first meeting at the Jade Temple.

After finding the phantom of shadows twice, he summoned one Akuma and Akumu and transformed it into Shaolin. Her shadow-like appearances attained her tomboyish appearance and attire that contain a white changshan and gray medium pants with martial arts shoes.

"Shaolin-nee-san!" shocked Pana, noticing the appearance of her guardian.

As he created an Akuma Akumu into Shaolin, he began to disappear into black camellia petals once again, leaving them handle with their opponent.

"Hey, quit running away from us!" exclaimed Kuta, seeing their target got away again. After the phantom left, he noticed that Pana held her body a little as she cradled her arms around her, trying to calm herself. "Pana, you're all right?"

"Shaolin-nee-san... I... I..."

Kuta noticed that his tomboyish childhood friend lost her free will because of that phantom summoned a Akuma Akumu as an image of Shaolin.

"Just stay here, I know it's hard to fight that opponent disguising as Shaolin-nee-chan, but I'll handle it." he convinced her to recover.

"Kuta... Be careful."

He turned at Pana and nodded to her with a serious and caution look from his face. He prepared to fight and exchanged his attack by using a turned back sidekick. Kuta's opponent dodged and then sent him a middle punch.

Pana watched the battle quietly and remembered her time with her guardian before the latter's disappearance. Kuta got quickly defeated as he panted after he used all his strength and attacks, to her shock.

As an Akuma Akumu in an image of Shaolin was about to finish him off with the attack, Pana interfered between them and protected her childhood friend.

"Pana!" surprised Kuta.

"This is too quick for you to be defeated, Kuta. It's my turn to handle this opponent." she scolded him about his quick and hasty battle.

"Think you can do it?" he asked after seeing her recovered.

"I know this opponent is just an imitation like you said." Pana answered as she prepared herself and readied to use her taijutsu.

The Akuma Akumu noticed that it's another battle and this time it's a second opponent.

_"I won't let you take me down."_ she silently exclaimed.

She quickly went towards her opponent and sent her barrage of punches and kicks. Then, she used her ulitmate technique at her opponent as it let its guard lowered.

"Zessho: Mekuraken no Kuro Ryu!"

A blind shadow dragon attacked her opponent as the ultimate resort of its defeat. After it became defeated, the Akuma Akumu faded away. Pana sighed in relief and looked after Kuta and his recovery.

"You okay, Kuta?" she gave a hand to her childhood friend.

Kuta grabbed her hand with his and stood up with his strength's now recovered. After they defeated their opponent from each battle, Tsukida, Seiichi, and Rika came to them.

"Rika." noticed Pana.

"Tsukida, Seiichi!" Kuta saw them, coming towards them.

"Are you two alright?" Tsukida asked.

"Yeah, we're fine for now."

"We noticed your utlimate technique, Pana. So we came to check out what's going on." explained the ninja tool kunoichi to her friend.

"We just encountered an Akuma Akumu and found the phantom, he got away however." Pana explained about their target.

"And we almost had him twice!" exclaimed Kuta in a dismay sigh.

After the two taijutsu shinobi explained what happened, another door of memories appeared to them.

"Another one." Tsukida recognized the appearace of its door.

"Looks like it's our turn to find out," suggested Pana, realized that she and Kuta're next to open it. "You ready, Kuta?"

"It's now or never."

Pana and Kuta opened the door knob together and another light before them appeared once again.

It happened ten years ago before Shaolin's disappearance with Seirin. A young Kuta came to the Jade Temple after Academy as he started his training.

Kuta wore a green T-shirt and short pants with a black shinobi sandals.

"Okay, if I wanna work hard in order to become a shinobi, I need to work on the kicks!" a young boy said to himself as he was about to begin his training after Academy.

"Hey. You're using my training spot." a voice called him.

Kuta heard a tomboyish voice and turned around, seeing a tomboyish kid told him that the training spot belonged to the latter. A tomboy wore a gray changshan jacket and medium-length black pants with martial arts shoes.

"Um, I'm sorry. I didn't know this spot is yours." he apologized.

"It's all right."

As he saw a young tomboyish child something familiar, he began to realize, "You're that kid who's been training with Shaolin-nee-chan after Academy."

To the young latter's surprise, he never knew that Kuta saw the training.

"How do you know?"

"Well, I always saw you trained with her when I come here to practice my taijutsu after Academy. So what brings you here?"

"To train alone."

The young taijutsu user heard the answer with surprise after seeing the tomboy's face became depressed.

"Is this because Shaolin-nee-chan's on a mission?" he asked.

"I'm not that depressed. I promised Shaolin-nee-san to wait for her to come back no matter how long."

Kuta began to think what to do with a tomboyish kid and got an idea.

"Hey, I know! Train with me!" he convinced him as he grabbed the tomboy's hand, much to his surprise.

"Huh? You want me to train with you?"

"Let's practice together, trust me."

And so, they practiced their taijutsu skills. First, they did twenty push-ups and thirty sit-ups as a warm-up. Then, they exchanged their punches and kicks. Finally, they finished their training at sunset.

Kuta panted as he tried to catch his breath.

"That was fun."

The tomboy never knew it's a first time training with someone else and complied with a smile, "It's a first time training with someone else."

"Good to hear it from ya!" Kuta noticed that he didn't get the name from a tomboy. "So what's your name? I forgot that I need to introduce myself. I'm Kuta."

"Pana." the tomboyish kid replied, introducing.

"Pana, that's a nice name for a boy."

"A boy?"

Kuta checked the tomboy's appearance and tried to explain his opinion, "Well, you dress like a boy just like Shaolin-nee-chan. Is something the matter, Pana?"

The tomboy gave a deep sigh and began to confess to Kuta, "Actually, to tell you the truth, I'm actually a girl, Kuta."

After receiving the confession from Pana, Kuta's widen eyes became shocked and surprised and never knew that she's a tomboy.

"You're... a girl?! I... uh... Just like Shaolin-nee-chan, I see..." he stuttered, trying to find words.

"Is something wrong being a tomboy, Kuta?"

"No, not really. I'm just surprised and yet shocked. Hey, after Academy, wanna train again tomorrow?" he invited her for tomorrow.

Pana nodded, "Sure. Let's train together tomorrow."

After seeing Pana and Kuta's memory of their first meeting the Jade Temple, Rika, Seiichi, and Tsukida became speechless as the second door of memories disappeared into thin air.

"Pana... I never knew that you first met Kuta-kun at this very temple." Rika never knew that her teammate trained at the Jade Temple.

"I live in this temple with Shaolin-nee-san after she adopted me." she explained about this temple.

"Since Nee-chan's disappearance along with Seirin-san, I trained with her on our taijutsu skills."

"Yeah, Kuta helped me back then." she agreed with her first childhood friend.

Kuta suddenly realized that the shadow phantom summoned the door of memories because of their conservation.

"Now that I think about it, there's the reason about these memory doors."

Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Seiichi noticed that Kuta knew the reason about two memory doors they confronted.

"What's wrong, Kuta-kun?" asked Rika.

"Before we're forced to fight an Akuma Akumu, the shadow phantom spied on us during our conversation," the taijutsu shinobi explained to his teammates, Pana, and Rika. "After we defeated our enemey, the door of memory showed us about that conservation we just had was about our first meeting at the Jade Temple!"

To Pana's shock, she never knew that their current target used their memory from six years and put them as a door of memories.

"So this is why he used an Akuma Akumu and transformed it as Shaolin-nee-san." she understood why she almost lost her free will after seeing her shadow guardian.

"Now we found out this phantom's reason for creating doors of memories, we need to find him as possible or not." Tsukida convinced them once again. "I know this is the third time to try to stop our target, but we need to find out about this strange place."

The Yukisaki heir's teammates, Rika, Pana, agreed with him as they nodded. Another door with printed black camellias appeared once again and knew the same thing once again.

"Looks like to another location." Kuta knew the same situation about the black camellia door.

"Yeah, let's go in." Seiichi agreed with him.

They entered the third door to the fourth realm of the Abyss of True Nightmares as they left the Jade Temple. After they entered, the door disappeared once again as always.

Later, Yori and Yoji came to a strange realm where the Yukisaki member noticed this location.

"This place... the Yukisaki clan!" Yori shocked after coming to the illusion of his own clan.

After he and Yoji got separated from Kaito the Dream Keeper, they came to a different location from the black camellia door like Team Tsukida and the two kunoichi of Inyogakure.


	57. Chapter 56: Door of Memories — 3

**Chapter 56: Door of Memories — 3**

As Yori and Yoji arrived at the illusion of the Yukisaki clan of Inyogakure, the older red-haired shinobi noticed there's no members or the head leader, Okami Yukisaki.

"Yori, don't let yourself be tricked. We're still in this abyss with true nightmares." warned Yoji.

"You're right, there's no one there even Okami-sama..." he agreed.

Suddenly, the two heard a voice appeared before him.

"Yori-kun, Yoji-san? Is that you?"

To their surprise, they noticed Rika and Pana came to them at the Yukisaki clan's illusion.

"Rika, Pana, you're alright!" Yori surprised as he noticed that the two kunoichi were all right.

"Where's Team Tsukida, Rika?" Yoji asked.

"Well..." As Rika was about to explain Yori and Yoji, a sudden sound of an attack surprised them, to their shock. "What was that?!"

Pana sensed the chakra back then and noticed it was belonged to Tsukida.

"It's Tsukida! We've to hurry!" alerted the taijutsu kunoichi after sensing the latter's chakra.

As they came to the courtyard, Pana and Rika noticed that Seiichi and Kuta got defeated as they knelt on the ground after they tried on helping Tsukida.

"Seiichi!" she cried after seeing her older brother got defeated so quick as she went towards him.

"Kuta, you're okay?" Pana asked him as she gave a support by carrying his arm on her shoulders.

"Yeah... The phantom got away the third time, but Tsukida's still fighting another Akuma Akumu. And what's more," Kuta explained. "It transformed into Okami-sama!"

"What?!" Yori shocked. "I have to help him then."

"Don't get in the way, Yori. Tsukida wanted to fight his opponent alone, so have faith in him." Seiichi convinced.

Yori knew that he had no choice, but have faith in his cousin, as he accepted Seiichi's suggestion.

Yoji summoned Ifrit with his chakrams to heal Seiichi and Kuta's wounds.

"Ifrit, lick their wounds. Hurry!"

With an urgent order from its master, Ifrit slowly licked Kuta's wounds from his right arm.

"Ouch..." he felt a burning healing while being licked.

"Just stay still, Kuta. Hang in there." Pana told him to hold still.

Yori looked on as he knew that Tsukida can't give up on fighting an Akuma Akumu alone.

_"Tsukida, don't give up! I know you can do it!"_

On the rooftop of the clan, Tsukida stood still as he panted while fighting against his own chichiue under the guise of an Akuma Akumu. This battle became like a father and son.

_"I won't lose to an impostor as my own chichiue."_

As the two clashed with their katana and attacks, an Akuma Akumu in Okami's image stabbed his opponent, only to notice it was a yami bunshin. From behind, the heir of the Yukisaki sent his final attack on his opponent.

"Ougi: Ryu no Mugen Hokori!"

A dragon slash destroyed the Akuma Akumu in its defeat and Tsukida sheathed his Yoshiyuki with a sigh as he received his difficult victory in the end. He began to worry about Kuta and Seiichi as he went back to the courtyard to check on his two important teammates. As he arrived, he noticed his cousin and Yoji were with Rika and Pana while they looked after the two, who're now recovered after Ifrit's lick healing.

Yori noticed that Tsukida already defeated the Akuma Akumu and came towards him with a relief.

"Kuta, Seiichi. You're all right."

"You too, Tsukida." replied Kuta realizing that the heir defeated his shadow opponent.

After defeating an Akuma Akumu in the form of Okami Yukisaki, the fourth door of memories appeared before them.

"What's that door?" Yori asked, seeing a door with memories in kanji.

"Memories..." Yoji read the kanji character from the door itself. "What's that mean?"

Tsukida noticed that his twin cousin and Yoji saw the door of memories for the first time.

"Oh, that's right. I have to explain what happened before you came here."

Tsukida told them everything about their current target, the shadow phantom, who can summoned Akuma Akumu and the doors with markings of the black camellias and the doors with memories.

"The shadow phantom? And he can also summon Akuma Akumu!?" Yoji shockly surprised as he never knew there's someone else other than the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

"Yes, he also used our memories from the past and then made them into doors of memories." explained the Yukisaki heir.

"Looks like it's your turn to open the door of memories, Tsukida." Kuta knew that it's the latter's turn after defeating an Akuma Akumu in the form of Okami Yukisaki.

"That's right, it's my turn..."

The heir of the Yukisaki clan went towards the third door of memories and then opened the knob, letting the light engulfed them with Yori and Yoji covered their faces with their arms and their eyes squinted while looking at its glow.

Ten years ago, at the Yukisaki dojo, a six year old Tsukida trained with his chichiue on kendo in order to handle the katana, however, his skills were lacking and he knelt on the ground in defeat.

The young heir wore a practice uniform that contains a white kimono top with blue hakama. His feet were also barefoot.

"That's enough." Okami lowered his practiced sword, realizing that his own son's skills wasn't improved.

The child looked at his chichiue, noticing that he left him alone in the dojo.

"Chichiue..." Tsukida looked down as he became depressed. However, someone came to him and gave the young heir a wet towel. Suddenly, he picked his head up and noticed it was his own grandfather, the former head of the Yukisaki clan and the father of Okami Yukisaki. "Oji-sama..."

The former head wore a simple grey kimono with a black sash and a white haori. His shoulder-length hair was grey.

"Do not give up so easily, Tsukida-kun. I know it's hard to learn kenjutsu, but you need to try your best no matter how hard it will be." he cheered his grandson to do his very best.

After his grandfather cheered him up, he stood up and took his wet towel to wipe the sweat away from his face after his difficult training with his chichiue.

_"I want... I want protect my clan and those who are important to me."_ Tsukida thought as he made his vow to himself.

After Tsukida's difficult past with his chichiue, the third door disappeared. Yori, Yoji, Rika, Pana, and the Yukisaki heir's teammates became speechless from seeing Tsukida's past of an ordeal as the Yukisaki heir.

"Tsukida-kun, I never knew... that your training's very hard." said Rika.

"Yes, my training was difficult. Before I became a shinobi, I worked so hard on kenjutsu. Once I'd become one, my chichiue gave the Yoshiyuki, but told me not to use it." Tsukida explained. "After Yume-san came to Inyogakure, he told me to use Yoshiyuki in order to protect my teammates, Yori, Yume-san, and those who are also important to me."

"Tsukida..." Yori never knew that Tsukida wanted to protect him along with Kuta, Seiichi, and Yume.

Another door with black camellias appeared before them.

"That door. It's the one same we've entered here." Yoji recognized.

"You two entered the same as we did?" Kuta asked, surprised as he never knew that Yori and Yoji saw the black camellia door.

"Yeah, to tell you guys the truth, we followed the shadow phantom you mentioned and then left that same door for us."

"So what're doing you two here? Did you got captured like the rest of us?" Seiichi asked.

"No, we weren't got captured by the Akuma Akumu." answered Yori, knowing that he need to explain their separation from Kaito the Dream Keeper to Tsukida and the others.

Back then before he and Yoji came to the illusion of the Yukisaki clan, they along with Kaito arrived at the Abyss of True Nightmares after they'd come out from the dream door as it disappeared behind them.

"So this is the Abyss of True Nightmares." Yoji never realized that this was similiar to Akumu no Kuni and Yume no Kuni as they arrived a wasteland with no clouds in the dark sky.

"I'm sure we'll find Tsukida and the others." Yori knew that because of Kai the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision.

As they were about to begin their mission to search for them, Kaito sensed something's immersed and noticed a myriad of Akuma Akumu appeared as they marched towards them.

"They're coming!" Kaito alerted Yori and Yoji as the two became shocked as they saw so many shadows approaching them.

"What the...?!" Yori shocked with impact.

"Don't tell me we have to fight against them!?" Yoji recognized the situation.

"Yori, Yoji, you two go on ahead without me." Kaito instructed them to go and find the others.

To Yori's shock, he tried to refuse to leave him, "But what about you?! We can't leave you!"

"I'll be fine, Yori. What's imporant is searching for Tsukida-kun and the others. Now hurry and find them!"

"Kaito..."

Yoji used his chakrams to summon Ifrit and said to Yori, "He's right! We can't waste time fighting against them altogether."

Yori knew that he had no choice, but to leave the enemies to Kaito and got on Ifrit's back with Yoji.

"Please be careful!"

Kaito nodded to them as he watched them leave and began to find the others.

As Yori finished explaining to Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana, they never knew that Kaito was with him and Yoji before they got separated because of the Akuma Akumu controlled by the Seeker.

"I didn't know that Kaito-san's with you guys until you got separated with him." Rika never knew as she became surprisingly shocked.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. We may bump into him sooner or later." Yoji stated.

As they watched at the black camellia door, they realized this will lead them to the next destination of the abyss.

"So we're going to the next location, right?" Yori asked.

"Yes, we have to. Our current target is still somewhere." Tsukida answered.

Yoji and the Inyo shinobi entered the black camellia door and then it disappeared once again.

Meanwhile, at the Crimson Butterfly Castle, Megami summoned her six nightmare shinobi to her throne room. After summoning them, she was sitting on the throne with her hands touching on her lap. Other than her and the six shinobi of nightmares, Kabuto was here with her standing next to her throne-like chair.

"Is there a reason why did you summon us, Megami-sama?" Ikari asked.

"Yes, I've some news to bring you all." Megami answered.

"Some news? I hope it's something interesting..." Taidana complied with a long yawn.

"Hey, sleepyhead! Try to cover your mouth while you're yawning!" Netami scolded at him.

"Actually, I've decided to change the last opponent of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. Megami'll be the semi-final opponent." Kabuto told the news to the six shinobi of nightmares, much to their shock.

"Megami-chan will be the semi-final opponent..." Yoku became shocked after noticing that his leader won't be the last opponent. He raised his voice in confusing anger at Kabuto. "Who's the last opponent?! Where?!"

"I'm right here behind you all."

A voice appeared before them, much to their shock, as they turned around and saw someone they never see or never have meet before. The person before the six shinobi of nightmares was none other than Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

The final and last opponent of the nightmare was revealed, but the reason of why is yet to be known.


	58. Chapter 57: Door of Memories — 4

**Chapter 57: Door of Memories — 4**

With the Nightmare Seeker as the final and last opponent for the current challenger, the six shinobi of nightmare never saw this person before even during the game three years ago.

"You're the final opponent?" Joyoku asked with sudden awe as she became speechless after seeing him in person.

"That's correct." the Seeker answered the lustful kunoichi's question.

"Wait a minute! You can't be the last opponent, you're an outsider!" Netami recognized that he isn't one of them as she judged his appearance and attire.

"Even he's an outsider, he doesn't have true darkness as well." Kuzuri sniffed the Seeker's chakra.

"Megami-sama, is there a reason why would you choose this person as the last opponent for this nightmare game?" Ikari asked his leader for choosing the Nightmare Seeker as the final opponent of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

"Yes, I do have a reason, Ikari-san." Megami answered as she nodded at him. "Three years ago before I left, there's someone lurking in the Akumu no Kuni."

The kinjutsu goddess explained her reason about the Nightmare Seeker three years ago during the nightmare game hosted by Orochimaru. Somewhere in the bamboo forest, Megami went all by herself while her six nightmare shinobi were on the pursuit of the challengers, who were also participated; some were test subjects and the others had cursed seals given by the Snake Sannin himself.

When she was thirteen, her white outfit contained a short-sleeved qipao blouse with a printed crimson butterfly texture and white skirt with long white socks and martial arts shoes.

While wandering around, she noticed so many black camellias before her on the ground.

_"Those flowers. They're camellias, but those petals have a different color."_ she recognized the kind of a flower with exception with a color black from the petals. _"Black petals as darkness."_

She began to guess and there's someone who isn't part of the game. She summoned her Akuma Akumu and commanded them to search the one who's responsible for summoning many black camellias.

"Find that person and inform me as soon as possible."

Watching her created shadow-like pawns began on their pursuit, she took one of the black camellias from the ground and examined it by looking the details and touching it as she made sure that those are real. She wondered who put those so many dark flowers on the ground in the bamboo forest.

_"Who could that be? For sending so many black camellias..."_

After the challengers failed to attempt to complete the game, which she noticed one of her nightmare shinobi already killed all of them in six different stages, Megami noticed that her Akuma Akumu didn't came back while waiting for them.

"That's strange. Something's not right at all."

"Megami." a voice called her, as she noticed it was Orochimaru as he came to her.

"Orochimaru-sama."

"Your pets and your nightmare shinobi are finished killing the current challengers again as always," he explained the results to the kinjutsu goddess. He also noticed Megami became anxious for the very first time, seeing the look from her pale face. "Megami, you seem anxious for the first time. Will you tell me what's wrong?"

Megami nodded to him. She explained to him about her Akuma Akumu didn't came back after giving her orders to find the person who summoned black camellias.

"An outsider for the first very time?" Orochimaru never knew that someone else's wandering around in the Akumu no Kuni.

"Yes, I gave orders to my Akuma Akumu to find the outsider because of those black camellias I found, but they didn't come back," she stated her reason. "I think I want to find out that person alone."

He noticed that she'll be taking a leave of absence on the next game.

"If you're leaving, who'll be in charge, Megami?" he asked about the substitute for taking her place as the leader.

"Actually, I'll leave the leadership to my puppet leader, Ryoji-kun." Megami answered with an obvious grin after mentioning the eighth nightmare shinobi, the only person who didn't received true darkness due to his anti-relationship with her or his teammates. "He'll be fine on taking my place while I'm gone."

"Very well, but let me remind you about the Seven Stages of Nightmares before you leave. If my test subjects fail to complete it one last time or so, I've decided to leave the game incomplete forever." Orochimaru declared to Megami that he'll resign as the host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

The shinobi goddess finished telling her conservation with Orochimaru three years ago to her six shinobi of nightmares, much to their speechless except for Yoku, who only disagreed about the Seeker as the final opponent.

"This person we met is... our first outsider?" Netami never knew that for three years that the Seeker was lurking in the Akumu no Kuni. "I don't believe it!"

"And here I thought the Inyo shinobi are the first outsiders, how foolish are we." Taidana looked down with his hand smacked on his face, realizing that they didn't knew for three years before Megami's leave of absence.

"I understand your reason, Megami-sama. It seems that I can't disagree your offer." Ikari remarked. "Joyoku, Kuzuri, Taidana, Netami, and Yoku. Even that Nightmare Seeker did wandered around in this very land created by our leader. I'd highly recommend that we should agree with her if I were one of you."

"Ikari-san..." Joyoku knew that she can't disagree with Megami as she touched her long hair. The reason that she joined Megami three years ago was because of her ability to regrow her beautiful dark raven hair with true darkness and her chakra when she was once Orochimaru's test subject.

"Joyoku... We can't refuse, right?" Kuzuri asked, noticing the the look on her face with sombre.

"If Megami-sama didn't choose us to join her three years ago, we would still end up as Orochimaru-sama's test subjects."

Yoku, Kuzuri, Netami, and Taidana began to realize as they remembered they're once the Snake Sannin's prisoners while being test subjects.

"She made my wish came true after giving me true darkness. After that, I've the new ability to regrow my own and beautiful long black and I swore myself not to let anyone to cut something important and precious away from me," Joyoku professed her desire to Netami, Kuzuri, and Taidana. "You have your own desire, right?"

Netami became quiet and remembered how she first met Megami three years ago. Three years ago, she was forced to survive by avoiding other test subjects with cursed marks under Orochimaru's order. Hiding from them, she knew that running away became a useless option to her and then let her envious rage took control of her. She ended up, killing her enemies with the ninja tools she stole from them for seven days of her survival. As a result, Megami recruited her because of her calling talent on using ninja tools.

"You're right, Joyoku. If I didn't join her, I would end up getting killed by those monsters back then." she clenched her hands after recalling her forceful ordeal.

"Remembering my own desire, huh? Now that you've mentioned it, Joyoku-san, I did have one once back then. Three years ago, I was unable to go sleep because of so many noises of pain and suffering from the test subjects," Taidana remembered his desire with his violet eyes closed. "Back then, I was befriended with so many wild cats without even noticing that I can summon them with my own blood. They protect me all day and night long until Megami-sama came to recruit me and my summoning wild cats."

"Me too, I was starving to death as well until she gave me food back then." Kuzuri blurted his desire to his teammates.

Megami smiled after noticing her members of her group remembered their desires from three years ago.

"It seems four of you are agreeing after remembering three years ago. I'm sure it's true." she complied.

"Yes, Megami-sama. We have no right to disobey you after you gave us our desire." Joyoku nodded to her.

"Even with Seeker-san as the final opponent of the current game?" implied the kinjutsu goddess.

"Yes, that as well." the lustful kunoichi replied as her second answer.

Joyoku, Kuzuri, Netami, and Netami knelt and bowed before her. After Ikari watched the four knelt before Megami, the yokai samurai noticed that Yoku didn't say anything such as his desire.

"Yoku?"

"I'm... not agreeing with this." Yoku grumbled in refusal.

"Yoku-kun?" Megami noticed that he's the only one who's disagreeing with her offer for the first time.

"I won't accept that, especially with that outsider as the final opponent!"

Enraged, the Ice Release shinobi summoned seven Akuma Akumu surrounded the Nightmare Seeker and forcibly commanded them to kill the latter, much to five shinobi of nightmare's shock.

"Hey, Yoku! The hell are you doing?!" Netami became shocked after standing up from kneeling on the ground.

Seven Akuma Akumu prepared to kill their target, however... they stopped moving, much to Yoku's confusing shock.

"Huh! What are you doing!? Don't just stand there! Hey!" he tried to command his shadow pawns once again, but they didn't listen to his orders.

"What's going on? It's like as if they're doing nothing." Taidana noticed the Akuma Akumu didn't move and hear the Ice release nightmare shinobi's orders.

Ikari began to realize as he noticed the reason how did their shadow pawns became rebel against their orders.

"I believe that you did something to them, the Nightmare Seeker." he claimed his conclusion after noticing the shadows' crimson eyes became blank.

"Ikari-san, are you sure it's the Seeker-san's doing? How do you know?" Joyoku asked.

"Remember the opposing Akuma Akumu who captured the Inyo shinobi? He's the one who can control them and gave his commends to capture the outsiders."

"Yes, it's true that I'm the one who captured your Akuma Akumu for three years during the Seven Stages of Nightmares. The reason how I can control them is I use my cane" confessed the Seeker.

The six shinobi of nightmares became shocked that the Nightmare Seeker's the one who kidnapped the Inyo shinobi.

"Can you ask me why did you captured them by manipulating the Akuma Akumu?" asked the yokai.

The first outsider shook his head with his eyes closed as rejection and answered, "I cannot tell you what's my reason to kidnap the outsiders from Inyogakure."

Meanwhile, Yori suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back to Inyogakure. However, he began to notice that he got separated from Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji as he became shockly bewildered.

"What's going on?" He quickly looked around and then called to them. "Hey! Tsukida, Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, Pana, Yoji! Where are you?!"

After calling for them, there was no reply from any of them. Suddenly, he noticed there's someone appeared to him, much to his surprise. The person he just confronted was actually their current target, the shadow phantom. After seeing the phantom, he began to run away from Yori, beckoning him to follow. Chasing after the shadow phantom, the Yukisaki became shocked that he came to the Sun Moon Lake where he first met Megami three years.

Looking for the phantom he followed, he noticed that his current target appeared on the bridge. Seeing the shadow phantom's face, Yori began to notice with surprising confusion.

_"Kaito...?"_

However, the attire of the shadow phantom looked different as the Yukisaki shinobi noticed that wasn't Kaito.

The shadow phantom summoned another Akuma Akumu and then transformed it into Megami, to his shock. After summoning another opponent for Yori, the shadow phantom began to leave, disappearing into black camellias once more.

Yori noticed that his current target got away and knew that he got no choice, but to deal with the Akuma Akumu in Megami's image. He tapped his true darkness and began to prepare himself to fight his shaow opponent.

Dodging the attacks from the shadow naginata, he turned around and then finished his opponent off with his ultimate technique with an elbow strike, stunning her with dark enegry waves.

As the Akuma Akumu defeated as it faded away, Yori untapped his true darkness and knelt on the ground as he was about to pass out on the red bridge from the hardcore battle.

Few minutes later, he opened his eyes as he regained his consciousness, much to Tsukida's surprising notice.

"Yori, you're all right." the heir of the Yukisaki clan relieved with a sigh.

"Tsukida..."

It wasn't just only Tsukida, but his teammates, Rika, Pana, and Yoji were with him as well.

"Everyone..."

"Phew, good thing we got there just in time!" Kuta sighed in a good relief after looking for Yori.

"How did you find me?"

"Yoji-san used Ifrit to track your chakra as part of your scent after we noticed that you got separated from us when we've arrived our next destination," the Yukisaki heir explained to his cousin. "And then, we found you unconscious when we came to the Sun Moon Lake."

Yori recognized, before they found them, he was fighting against Megami in the form of an Akuma Akumu after confronting the shadow phantom. After Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji along with Ifrit found the Yukisaki shinobi, a door of memories appeared before them once again.

"There's another door of memories." Seiichi noticed.

"Wait, if that door's here, then that means..." Kuta began to recognize.

Tsukida began to notice and wondered if his cousin found the shadow phantom before they came to look for him.

"Yori, did you...?"

Yori shook his head at the Yukisaki heir's question and replied, "He got away..."

"Yori-kun." Rika noticed that that the shadow phantom got away again as always.

"Don't worry! Don't blame yourself, Yori. We'll catch him no matter what." Kuta tried to cheer the member of the Yukisaki clan up with a smile.

"Yeah, you're right. We can't give up yet." He nodded to the confident taijutsu shinobi.

As Yoji looked at the door of memories, he reminded the twin Yukisaki member, "It seems like it's your turn to open this door."

Yori noticed that his memories were related to the Sun Moon Lake where he first met Megami three years ago before the Seirei village incident. He looked down as he began to hesitated for the moment.

"Yori-kun, what's wrong?" the ninja tool kunoichi asked as she noticed the troubled look from his face.

"It seems that I have to accept this memory..."

He went towards the door and then opened the knob, letting the light engulfed him and the others.

Three years ago, before Megami's defection, the young kunoichi looked at the lake of the Sun Moon endlessly surrounded by crimson butterflies. Suddenly, a voice called to her.

"Megami."

Megami heard and noticed that Yori came here once again. "Yori-kun... You came."

"I'm just making sure if you're still here today." he explained.

After meeting her again, the two shinobi watched the crimson butterflies on the red bridge, fluttrering around and showing the reflections on the lake.

"Those butterflies look special unlike the others. This is my first time seeing them with a red color," he commented. As he turned his head to Megami, he noticed something bothering her just now, seeing her face became disquiet. "Megami, what's wrong?"

The goddess heard Yori asked her something's the matter and said, "Is it okay to tell you something?"

"Something? Tell me anything." He answered to her.

After his answer, she began to tell him something that was important to her all the sudden.

"I was wondering about my dream I always have before I met you. Things I saw seem to be familiar, but they're somehow mirages to me. I want to know about this dream after I realized I want to know about my true self."

Yori surprised that Megami told him about her dream and true self she wanted to know. "Your true self? You want to find your true self, right?" he implied.

"Yes," she nodded. "Whenever I keep having that dream, I kept thinking and wondering about my current self. A reason why I was respected by the Inyo shinobi as the Hokori no Megami and a Jonin. They praise me so much and they know I'm special because of my talents."

After she told Yori about her dream, he began to realize that this dream was important to her. "A dream about Megami's true self, huh?"

He knew that he could help Megami although he first met her yesterday and began to tell her, "Megami, if your dream about your true self is important to you, then let me help."

Megami suddenly surprised and turned her head at Yori except her face felt emotionless. "Yori-kun, are you sure?" she asked.

"Well, I have to. I know finding your true self is important to you just now, so I'll help you no matter what."

The door of Yori's memories with Megami three years ago began to disappear into thin air after Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji witnessed with speechless and awe after finding that the member of the Yukisaki clan made a promise to help the Hokori no Megami to find her real self.

"Yori... You promised Megami-sama at the Sun Moon Lake three years ago?" Tsukida implied.

"Before I made that promise... I met her for the first time because I followed one of the crimson butterflies. Before her defection, I was the first one who can talk with her." Yori watched his both hand and clenched him tensely. "After what happened three years ago from that mission, I... I shouldn't have gone to that cave with her in the first place!"

He closed his eyes and then collapsed on his knees to the ground after remembering that incident that he can't forget back then.

"Yori..." Tsukida knew that his twin cousin knew that he made that mission became a failure forcibly.

Suddenly, Yoji came towards the kneeling Yori and gave his hand to him, much to the latter's surprise.

"Yoji..."

"There's no time to relive your sin from the past, Yori. Right now, you have your own potential, right?" the flame release shinobi reminded the twin member.

"That's right... After I came back from my three-year training, I made a promise to myself and Yume that I'll protect her..." After recognizing his important promise with his very own potential, he knew that he musn't remember that incident three years ago. He stood up from with a determined look on his face, much to their surprise and relief.

After Yori regained his potential, another black camellia door appeared before them once again.

"Another one... I wonder this is the last door to the next location," Rika became curious as she guessed if the door before them is the last one to enter.

"We'll find out once we open this door," Yoji answered the ninja tool kunoichi's curiosity.

"Let's go!" Yori told everyone to get ready to enter the door.

Everyone nodded as the Yukisaki shinobi opened the black camellia door. As they finally entered to the next location, the door finally disappeared into thin air.


	59. Chapter 58: The Last Door of Memories

**Chapter 58: The Last Door of Memories**

Meanwhile, somewhere in the bamboo forests, Kaito the Dream Keeper, aka Kai Kurosaki, walked slowy after defeating the myriad of Akuma Akumu from the wasteland. He wondered hopefully if Yori and Yoji did find Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana since they went separated ways. However, because of the last battle, he wasted his strength and chakra as he began to collapsed on the field of black camellias.

_"Everyone... I hope you'll be all right."_ He prayed for them to be alright.

Suddenly, five Akuma Akumu confronted the wounded dream keeper. Noticing that he was outnumbered and can't regain his strength to fight back, he closed his eyes, knowing that his life was about to end. Before that happen, a wind slash ambushed one fo the five shadows, much to their shocking notice. He opened his eyes and noticed a familiar wind attack, seeing the young dream eater came towards him.

"Are you okay?" Yumekui asked as he tried to support Kai by picking his left arm on his shoulders.

"Yumekui, you're alright."

"I'm not the only one all by myself. Yume-san's with me right now."

To the dream keeper's surprise, he never knew that Yume found Yumekui, but why did his former student came to the abyss. Wondering his former student, Kai noticed that Yume already took the remaining four Akuma Akumu down with her katana. After she sheathed her katana, she checked on her former sensei known as Kaito the Dream Keeper. Checking his wounds, she began to heal them with her Shosen jutsu.

"Yume, why are you here? Aren't you suppose to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares?" Kai asked with confusion.

Yume lowered her eyes with hesitation while healing her sensei's wounds and began to confess, "I'm still asleep, to tell you the truth..."

"Still asleep?" he replied her words and began to realize that the final stage in Yume's dream world still isn't complete. "Yume, about Unmei, is he..."

She shooked her head and explained about Unmei, "He broke a rule because he's not one of the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares... And, he gave me his everlasting wish to complete the nightmare game for good."

"I see," After the Ally of the Byakugan finished on healing the wounds, Kai stood up from the ground. Knowing that Unmei's still alive despite his given punishment, he began to explain to his former student. "There's something I have to tell about Unmei. He's not dead..."

To her surprise, she never knew that Unmei's still alive despite that she was forced to defeat him. She sighed in relief after hearing that he's still alive.

"Do you know where he is, Kai-sensei?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Last time, I had my dream vision about Unmei falling into darkness after you defeated him. Also, Ayumu came to him, telling him that he has his real and true reason instead of his punishment."

Yume began to realize that Unmei's connected to his twin brother because he had his blood.

_"His real and true reason... Could it be that he still has Yori's blood because they're the same?"_

"Um, Yume-san. Are you forgetting something important?" Yumekui asked her about the half piece of a white key.

"Oh, that's right. I still have that," Yume almost forgot the glowing key piece she found before she saved her former sensei from the Akuma Akumu. She took out from her ninja pouch and showed him the white half key. "This half key is missing the other. My only guess is that this key may lead me to the true final stage..."

Seeing the white half key piece, he began to notice that something became amiss about the true final stage.

"The true final stage, is it Megami, Yume?" he asked with many concerns for his former student about the last level of the Seven Stages of Nightmares.

Yume began to explain to him without hesitation after Ayumu told her about the dream vision before coming to the abyss.

"Ayumu-san told me her dream vision about my final opponent. It may be either Megami or the Nightmare Seeker..."

To Kai's shock that Ayumu's dream vision was foretold that his nightmare self became part of the nightmare game, he became disquiet as he looked down.

"Kai-sensei?"

"If I didn't come to the Akumu no Kuni three years ago, my own nightmare self shouldn't capture your twin brother, your cousin, and your friends in this dark abyss." His eyes became guilt after confessing to his former student as he knelt down on the ground.

Yume embraced him as she tried to cheer him up after hearing his confession about himself and Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

_"It's not your fault, Kai-sensei. Because your nightmare self,"_ she silently explained to her former sensei as the dream keeper. _"...doesn't remember about his death and myself three years ago..."_

Meanwhile, somewhere in the bamboo forest filled with black camellias, the black camellia door appeared once again and opened all by itself, letting its passengers come out.

Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, Yori, and Yoji arrived their destination and noticed with awe and surprise combined in confusion after seeing a garden of black flowers.

"Whoa, it looks like a black garden." said Kuta with his surprising wide eyes after seeing the black camellia garden.

"I wonder why there are so many of them in this bamboo forest..." wondered Rika, as she became curious about the garden.

Suddenly, Yoji saw the shadow phantom and quickly alerted the Inyo shinobi, "Guys, there's our target!"

After they spotted their target, the phantom began to run away once again.

"Oh no you don't! You're not getting away this time!" Kuta exclaimed a they're about to chase after him.

They chased and chased after the shady phantom in a black garden of black camellias of the bamboo forest until interference got in the Inyo shinobi's way. Black camellia petals appeared before them and surrounded them, fluttering around.

"What's going on? I can't see." Rika noticed that the petals distracted their eyes.

With the black petals stopped their chase after their target, they disappeared, much to their confusion.

"They're gone..." Pana became suspicious about the flower petals with a dark color.

After the flowery distraction, the Inyo shinobi and Yoji noticed that they lost their target.

"Where did he go?!" Kuta looked around, trying to find their shadow target.

"What's wrong with you and your shadow target?" a voice was almost similar to the dark brown-haired taijutsu shinobi, much to his surprise and shock after hearing his own familiar voice.

"That voice!" To their shock, they confronted their own six nightmare selves after they lost track on their target. Kuta's eyes widen with shock and yet confusion after seeing his own nightmare self which he thought that he already accepted his other self. "I don't get it... What are you doing here!?"

"Well, we're back." Kuta's nightmare self laughed with craze and maddness, announcing the nightmare selves returned.

Not just only Kuta's other self, the other selves were here with him: Rika's, Pana's, Seiichi's, Tsukida's, and Yori's other selves.

"I don't believe this..." Tsukida became speechless, confronting his own nightmare self once again, much to his confusion.

"There's no need for not believing." the Yukisaki heir's nightmare self replied.

"We thought we already defeated you back then!" Pana exclaimed, realizing that she and Rika already accepted their other selves before they got taken to the abyss.

"There's one thing missing that you didn't realize, Pana. It's because you guys are wondering about your current target you always chase after," Kuta's nightmare self mentioned. "And with your doubts keep appearing in your mind, we're back as your worst nightmares."

"That phantom you're going after is trying to kill you by summoning Akuma Akumu during your wild goose chase." Rika's nightmare self stated.

To the Inyo shinobi's shock, they never knew that their target was trying to assassinate them.

"Trying to kill us? Why?!" Yori became flustered in confusion.

"You do know about this, right, me?" the nightmare self of a Yukisaki member reminded the original self about the Seeker captured Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana. "The reason why did the captor tried to capture you is because of his dream vision must become true, however the dream eater risked himself by pushing you away while saving you."

"Wait, Yumekui-kun got captured as well?!" Tsukida became vastly shocked, realizing that Yumekui saved his twin cousin from being captured.

"With you guys reunited, your lives will end soon." the nighmare self of the heir of the Yukisaki clan exclaimed, trying to taunt the twin cousin.

"No..." Yori shooked his head in refusal as he was about to refuse the fact that they're them. "You're..."

However, he was about to refuse his nightmare self and the others' selves until Yoji shouted to him as he called him back to his senses, "Don't you dare say that!"

Yori became surprised that Yoji supported him not to give in to his nightmare self.

"Yoji..." he replied after hearing Yoji's serious call.

"You can't refuse the second time, Yori! Especially, you guys!" Yoji tried to convince him along with Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana. "After coming all the way to chase after our target, I won't let him kill all of you!"

"Yoji-san..." Rika became surprised that he won't let the phantom to take their lives.

"That's right. I can't refuse to my other self like that." Pana stated. "Rika, we can't let our determination shatter after facing our nightmare selves again."

Rika began to agree with her as she nodded to her, "Right, I can't give up yet!"

"Last time, I can't defeat my other self, but I won't lose again to the likes of you!" Seiichi summoned his dao sword from his ninja scroll, preparing himself to fight his nightmare self

"Me too! There's no way I'm letting my worst nightmare take me down again!" Kuta exclaimed after he almost got defeated back then.

"Even though that phantom may kill us once we'll confront them sooner or later, we won't let that happen to us." Tsukida claimed his reason about their current target.

To the nightmare selves' shock, they never knew that their original selves didn't refuse that they're them.

"You can't force us to refuse that you're us. We'll settle this once and for all," Yori prepared as he tapped his true darkness. "Everyone, get ready!"

"Right!" Team Tsukida and the two kunoichi replied with agreement as they prepared to face their nightmare selves.

With Rika and Pana's resonating chakra together, the two kunoichi made their blind attack with ninja tools at their defeated nightmare opponents. Kuta used his all might and light chakra to create his sunshine fist to defeat his opponent with an uppercut.

"Hikariton: Taiyoken!"

Seiichi used his dao sword with a wild willow blade dance.

"Hiken: Yasei Yanagi Odori!"

He swung his dao sword like a willow tree as he danced towards his shadow opponent, confusing and giving him the final slash.

Tsukida clashed his Yoshiyuki with his shadow opponent and then unleashed his ougi of a dragon with many prides and gave a final slash at him.

Yori, with his true darkness around his body, blocked and dodged his shadow opponent's fists and kicks and evaded to behind. He delivered an elbow strike on the back of his opponent, unleashing dark waves.

"Hissatsu: Kurai Shogeki Hado!"

With six nightmare selves defeated, the six shinobi of Inyogakure stood victoriously. After facing their selves, they began to notice that the forms of their nightmares faded away, revealing their true forms.

"Those aren't our nightmare selves, they're actually Akuma Akumu in disguises," Seiichi noticed that six Akuma Akumu took six forms of their shadow selves.

"I can't believe we fought our impostors all this time!" Kuta became enraged with distraught after his fake nightmare self.

"Could it be that the phantom summon them again only they disguised as our nightmare selves?" Rika wondered if it was the shadow phantom summoned the black petals and the Akuma Akumu under the guise of their shadow selves.

"I don't think so. Someone's trying to stop us from going after our target." Yoji explained to the ninja tool kunoichi.

"Someone else? But who?" Seiichi asked.

Yoji looked at the black camellia and began to demand the person who used the impostors of the nightmare selves, "I know you're watching us. So come on out already."

All the sudden after Yoji demanded the person to come out, black petals floated in the air and swirled around, to the Inyo shinobi's surprise. Inside the petals, someone appeared as they began to disappear quickly.

"Hmph, I never knew that you noticed that their nightmare selves are fakes." the person who appeared to Yoji and the Inyo shinobi was none other than Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

With the Seeker's appearance, Team Tsukida recognized the outfit along with the nightmare cane with sudden shock as they confronted him the second time.

"Wait a minute, you're that guy from before!" Kuta exclaimed with rage.

"I never knew you're the one who summoned our fake nightmare selves." Seiichi became displeased after meeting the Seeker once again.

However, Tsukida became speechless as he saw the Seeker's face after realizing he doesn't have his faceless mask.

"It can't be..."

Kuta and Seiichi noticed their friendly leader's face became pale.

"Hey, what's wrong, Tsukida?" Kuta asked.

"His face..."

The ninja tool and the taijutsu shinobi became shocked as they noticed that he didn't wear his white blank mask.

"No way! Is that possible?" Seiichi wondered in bewilderment.

Rika and Pana looked at the Seeker's face and realized that he almost resembled Kaito the Dream Keeper.

"That face of his, is that..." Pana began to imply, however Yori tried to correct and warn them.

"Don't get confused!" Yori warned. "That's not Kaito!"

"Eh, he isn't Kaito-san?" Rika became surprised with awe.

"Kaito..." the Seeker whispered the name to himself.

"Are you trying to stop us from going after our target?" Yoji asked to Kai the Nightmare Seeker due to the Akuma Akumu disguised as fake nightmare selves.

"Yes, I tried to stop you from chasing after the phantom by summoning Akuma Akumu as your fake nighmare selves." he answered._  
><em>

"But why?" Tsukida asked.

"If you confront that phantom, your lives will be taken by himself."

"We won't get killed by our current target then. That's our determination after we fought our fake nightmare selves." Yori claimed their determination to their enemy.

The Seeker watched Yori's serious look in his white eyes and began to touch his head to make sure if there's more pain. He remembered the Yukisaki shinobi's words from the Crimson Butterfly Castle.

"Because I have to protect her at all costs, Yume is my twin sister! I'll wait for her to complete the game no matter what!"

As he swayed his hand away from his head, he began to let them go to confront the shadow phantom.

"Very well, if this is your determination, then I won't stop you."

To the Inyo shinobi and Yoji's confused surprise, they never knew that the Nightmare Seeker would let them to go after the shadow phantom, their current target.

"Wait, huh? I'm getting confused." Kuta became confused and speechless after noticing that the Seeker won't stop them from going after their important target.

Yoji became suspicious and began to ask him, "If you won't stop us, then why?"

The Seeker closed his eyes and answered, "There's something important I must attend once I'm prepared."

"Something important?" Yori implied.

Ignoring the latter's questions about his importance, the Nightmare Seeker began to disperse into black camellia petals as he disappeared. His voice lingered as he told them one last thing.

"There's the last door of memories ahead, just follow the trail of the black petals."

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji saw on the ground with a track of dark flower petals, much to their surprise.

"The Seeker was right, there's a trail with black petals that would lead us to the last door of memories," Tsukida stated.

"But how did he know there's the last door?" Rika asked as she noticed that Kai the Nightmare Seeker knew about the last door.

Yoji began to think about the Seeker's awareness about the shadow phantom and the door of memories in the Abyss of True Nightmares.

Pondering about the last door, he began to convince the Inyo shinobi, "I know it's hard, but we have to follow the flowery trail to the last door. My only guess is the last one holds the truth."

"The truth? What do you mean by that, Yoji-san?" Seiichi asked.

"I think that we have to trust him even though he's still our enemy."

"Trust the Nightmare Seeker? Are you okay with this, Yoji? He almost tried to kidnap me using an Akuma Akumu before Yumekui saved my life by letting it kidnap him!" Yori exclaimed.

"I know we're still looking for Yumekui, but we'll find him sooner or later. The only opition is to trust the Seeker." Yoji explained. "We don't have any choices."

"So Yumekui-kun saved Yori-kun from being captured." Rika never knew that the Seeker tried to kidnap Yori before Yumekui interfered.

"The Seeker did captured Yumekui, but he also captured you guys as well." Yori explained to Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana.

They became shocked that the Nightmare Seeker captured them using with Akuma Akumu before they reunited with Yori and Yoji.

"What?! He kidnapped us?!" Kuta became vasty shocked with awe.

"But why?" Tsukida asked.

"I don't know. He told me that he wants to make his original self suffer with pain and sorrow by killing us." Yori explained.

"His original self?" Pana replied what Yori stated. "What do you mean _"his original self"_, Yori?"

"The truth is... Kai the Nightmare Seeker is the real nightmare self."

As Yori explained the Nightmare Seeker's actually the real nightmare self, they didn't knew with speechless.

"The Seeker is the real nightmare self? Then he's just like our nightmare selves." Kuta claimed his answer.

"He's not the same as yours. Your nightmare selves were created by himself, using with Akuma Akumu he captured." Yoji corrected the taijutsu shinobi's claimed answer.

"Using Akuma Akumu? But how can he control them? The only ones who can use and control them are Megami and the six nightmare shinobi." Yori explained about the demon shadows.

"He has a nightmare cane to control them as his own puppets. That's how he created them as your nightmare selves."

Yori became speechless and knew that he had no choice, but to trust his enemy, the Nightmare Seeker.

"Everyone, I know we don't have a choice, but to trust the Nightmare Seeker. For now, let's follow the trail to the last door as soon as possible."

Nodding to Yori as an agreement, they followed the black petals and then confronted the fifth and last door of memories at the end of the trail.

"Well, there it is. The last door of memories." said Kuta as he took a deep breath and sighed.

Tsukida began to wonder whose memories in the last door as he realized.

"About the last door, there's something I'm not sure."

"What is it, Tsukida?" Yori asked about something unsure bothered his cousin.

"The four previous doors we opened were about our past memories, but we don't know whose memories in this last door," answered Tsukida.

"You're right, Tsukida-kun. We didn't encounter any Akuma Akumu summoned by the shadow phantom and instead we fought the Nightmare Seeker's fake nightmare selves of ours." Rika realized.

"Yoji-san, you said this door holds the truth, am I correct?" the heir of the Yukisaki clan implied.

"That's right. We have to see this truth once we open it. But we have to be careful about the shadow phantom after opening it." Yoji warned them.

Everyone of Inyogakure nodded as they prepared themselves to be ready to see the last one with memories. Yoji began to open the door knob and the light engulfed them one last time.

Three years ago, somewhere in the Akumu no Kuni, a dream door appeared out of nowhere and then it opened all by itself. Kaito the Dream Keeper arrived to a mysterious and dark land similar to the Yume no Kuni. The destination he'd arrived was a bamboo forest.

"This land. This was from my dream vision. The Akumu no Kuni." said Kaito, stating his previous vision about the Akumu no Kuni.

He wandered around to notice there's no one around and suddenly sensed there's something dark as he prepared himself, changing his dream cane into a katana. Six Akuma Akumu appeared and ambushed the dream keeper and then transformed into six shinobi of Inyogakure. Their six shapeshifting forms were Yori Yukisaki, Tsukida Yukisaki, Rika, Seiichi, Kuta, and Pana, to the dream keeper's shock and awe.

_"These shadows... They can transform as a person or a creature, but a shadowy form."_ he analyzed his shadow enemies as he stood still.

Six of them began to attack their prey as they went towards him. The two shadow ninja too shinobi summoned their ninja tool collaboration technique: Soshi Ranbu.

Kai repelled their shadow ninja tools with his katana as he used his Wind Release technique.

"Akikiri!"

His slash with autumn leaves blocked many ninja tools in form of twin Chinese lions. However, while blocking them, the shadow Tsukida began to deliver a slash attack with the shadow Yoshiyuki. Seeing a surprise attack, he evaded the Yoshiyuki slash as he backed away.

Suddenly, shadow Yori, Pana, and Kuta exchanged their taijutsu skills, giving their punches and kicks at their opponent as Kaito quickly evaded their shadowy attacks.

While fighting against six shadow opponents, he felt something dark and it became a nightmare. Knowing that he was outnumbered, he changed his katana back to its original form of a dream cane.

_"These six shadows are like nightmares. Then in that case, I have to use it on them."_

The crystal inside of the dream cane began to glow as he performed his technique on six Akuma Akumu. Suddenly, the six dark shadows stopped as they slowly began to turn into five orbs of light while the sixth Akuma Akumu in form of Yori Yukisaki became an orb of true darkness, hiding from the light of the dream cane.

All the sudden, after Kaito turned five of them into light orbs while he noticed the sixth Akuma Akumu somehow got away, he knew that this land with nightmares and many dimensions was very dangerous.

"The Akumu no Kuni. It's different to the Yume no Kuni," Kaito stated as he compared this land to another. "I must return back and inform Ayumu about these shadows and this place."

He summoned a dream door to Ayumu's dream shop in reality. As the door opened for him, he began to enter after exploring the dark and mysterious land. Before he leave, he sensed something dark and hatred as he looked back. However, he noticed that there's no one even another Akuma Akumu came to ambush him.

He began to leave as he entered the dream door. The door he summoned disappeared into thin air after entering it. After Kaito left, a shadow figure appeared the spot where the dream door disappeared. The figure, who rised into the surface, was none other than a person who strikingly resembled of Kaito the Dream Keeper, only his attire was different to the Dream Keeper's which its printed textures were black camellias.

"And that person, he has the same face as mine. Is this mean I'm his other self?" he wondered after watching Kaito left.

He looked at his hands and noticed he had a cane in his right hand just like the original's, but only the crystal became black as darkness inside of it. Kai the Nightmare Seeker saw five light orbs and a dark orb floating in the air and then landed on his left hand. He suddenly had a first dream vision and saw himself using his nightmare cane on the Akuma Akumu as his own puppets. After capturing the Akuma Akumu, he implanted six orbs to Akuma Akumu in the form of nightmares selves of Inyo shinobi.

"This vision I saw... I have to capture those Akuma Akumu and create them as the nightmare selves of Kaito's six acquaintances."

After Kaito's investigation of the Akumu no Kuni and the creation of Kai the Nightmare Seeker, the last door of memories disappeared into thin air.

The truth was revealed and Yoji and the Inyo shinobi became speechless after witnessing the creation of Kai the Nightmare Seeker and the nightmare self of Kaito the Dream Keeper.


	60. Chapter 59: The Phantom from the Past

**Chapter 59:** **The Phantom from the Past**

Since Yoji was aware of Kaito's nightmare self, Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yori Yukisaki became shockly speechless after finding out that the Nightmare Seeker was actually the nightmare self of the Dream Keeper.

"No way... That's impossible." said Kuta as he almost lost for words.

"But there's no way it's impossible, we saw the whole thing from the last door, Kuta." Pana replied truthfully after witnessing the last memory door of Kaito.

"Three years ago, Kaito-san came to the Akumu no Kuni and then the Nightmare Seeker was created after he left." Tsukida stated about the Dream Keeper's memory from three years ago. "Then that means his nightmare self is the first outsider before us."

"Actually, before the creation of Kai the Nightmare Seeker, Kaito was the true first outsider of the Akumu no Kuni. Since the Nightmare Seeker stayed in Megami's territory, he created his own realm called the Abyss of True Nightmares." Yoji explained about the nightmare self.

"The Abyss of True Nightmares? Then the Nightmare Seeker used his Akuma Akumu to kidnap us at the Crimson Butterfly Castle and sent us here." the Yukisaki heir realized the enemy's plan.

"That's right. His former plan became a failure because we fought our nightmare selves." Rika agreed with Tsukida.

"Also, his plan is to kill us in order to to make Kaito-san feel suffer and pain. But why would he do that is something we need to know." Yori explained about the Seeker's plan.

"You're right, Yori. I wonder what's his reason to kill us in order to make his original self to suffer pain." Tsukida became concerned for the enemy's acutal reason.

Suddenly, Ifrit, in the form of Yoji's chakrams, alerted its master about the dark incoming.

"You guys, something's coming!" he warned the Inyo shinobi.

After receiving the alert from Yoji, Rika began to notice an enormous dark mist appeared where the last door or memories was.

"Everyone, look!" she pointed at the spot where the last door disappeared.

To their shock, they had never seen a mist like that became something big and dark as black.

"What the...?! This mist's huge!" Kuta's eyes became widen in fear.

"I knew it, after we opened the last memory door, we're going to face the shadow phantom we're looking for." Yoji knew something would happen after witnessing Kaito's memory three years ago as his hunch was right.

Suddenly, the shadow phantom emerged out from the shadow mist, to their surprise. They also became shockly confused after seeing the phantom's face which was similarly resembled Kaito the Dream Keeper.

"Huh? This phantom... Is that...?" Rika began to guess the appearance of their shadow target.

"No, Rika. His face looks similar as Kaito's, but that's not him." Yori tried to explain about the shadow phantom.

"Then who is he?" Kuta implied.

"I'm not sure..."

The shadow phantom drew his shadow katana from his sheath as he prepared to attack his enemies.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves!" Yoji quickly told them to fight.

As everyone were prepared to fight the shadow phantom who resembled Kaito, Yori suddenly received a sudden pain inside his head as he began seeing mirages of someone he never met from three years ago.

_"Huh? What's happening? Who is this person I saw."_

Knowing that he mustn't let his guard down before the start of their battle against their shadow phantom, he tried to ignore the mysterious and unknown pain inside his head.

The seven shinobi prepared themselves as they went towards their shadowy opponent.

Meanwhile, a dream door appeared out of nowhere and it opened all by itself. Ayumu and Kazekiri came to the Abyss of True Nightmares in a location of the bamboo forests with black camellias on the ground.

Ayumu, the dream shopkeeper, wore an attire of the Inyo kunoichi that contain a snow white sleevless qipao dress with blue roses printed textures on the front with martial arts shoes. In addition to her outfit, she wore two separate crimson Chinese princess-like sleeves. Her black raven long hair tied into a high ponytail as her usual hair style. As an Inyo kunoichi, her weapon was a Chinese jian with a white tassel tied to the hilt.

"Ayumu-sama, is there a reason to come here?" Kazekiri asked.

The dream shopkeeper began to answer the wind spirit kunoichi's question without any hesitation on her shoulders, "Yes, Kazekiri. There's something I must do because of my recent dream vision.."

As they began to wander in the abyss, they suddenly encountered six Akuma Akumu as they drew their weapons.

"Those Akuma Akumu. I never knew that Kai's nightmare self captured so many of them," Kazekiri stated her general point of the captured Akuma Akumu controlled by thre Nightmare Seeker.

"We can't let our guard down, we must hurry as soon as possible, Kazekiri."

"Understood!"

The dream shopkeeper and Kazekiri fought six Akuma Akumu as they dealt with three of them on their solo battles. Kazekiri used her wind release signature kenjutsu: Kazekiri no Mai, slashing her three shadowy opponents. Ayumu quickly defeated her three opponents with her Chinese jian.

However, after defeating and destroying six Akuma Akumu, the seventh one made a shadowy ambush at the dream shopkeeper, much to Kazekiri's shock.

"Ayumu-sama, watch out!"

As she noticed and turned at the seventh Akuma Akumu was about to attack her, someone already destroyed it from behind, to her sudden surprise.

The person who saved Ayumu's life was none other than Kabuto Yakushi. To the two kunoichi's surprisingly shock, they confronted him, who came to Ayumu's rescue. The reason that he saved Ayumu was yet to be revealed.

Later, during the battle against the shadow phantom, the Inyo shinobi and Yoji fought the phantom's wind demons.

_"These wind demons... That's Kai's wind genjutsu. That phantom... Could it be that he's Kai Kurosaki three years ago?"_ Yoji began to realize that the phantom's techniques were similar to Kai Kurosaki's and concluded that phantom was the past Kai from three years ago.

During the battle against the phantom's wind demon genjutsu, Yori finished taking it down and tried to fight back against the shadow phantom. However, facing his shady opponent, he saw many mirages of someone he never met before once again as he felt a pain inside his head.

_"This again? Who... Who are you?"_

The mirages of the person Yori saw became blurry as he can't see clearly in every detail. Suddenly, he let his guard down and the shadow phantom began to attack the Yukisaki shinobi.

"Yori, look out!" Tsukida shouted at his cousin after seeing the phantom made his next move.

Hearing his cousin's words, Yori noticed the phantom's shadow katana and blocked it with his dark release katana in his right hand.

_"Whatever it is, I can't let my guard down completely."_

Meanwhile, Kai, Yume, and Yumekui walked on the black camellia garden and the dream eater noticed a white camellia among them, to his curiously bewilderment.

"Huh? There's a white camellia." he recognized the white camellia.

Kai and Yume noticed a white camellia and became suspicious a little.

_"Why would a white camellia appear in the black camellia garden?"_ Kai thought, wondering about the camellia with a white color if there's a trap or not.

Yumekui began to pick the white camellia and suddenly the flower began to glow, to their shock and yet surprise. The white key piece began to glow also along with the flower.

Kaito noticed something amiss and saw Yume began to slowly disappear with the white key piece she was holding. The Ally of the Byakugan became bewitched as her whole body began to fade away along with the white key piece.

_"My body! Am I going to disappear?"_ she wondered anxiously.

"Yume!" He went towards his student and then embraced her, much to her surprise. Yume, along with Kai, disappeared into white petals, to Yumekui's shock. After seeing them disappear quickly, he noticed the white camellias he held was gone as well.

"Yume-san, Kai-san! Where are you?" He tried to call for them, but there's no reply from both of them.

Suddenly, he received his two dream visions for the first them all the sudden. The first one was Yori went into a deep unconsciously sleep and cannot wake up after the battle against the shadow phantom. The second was Yume and Kaito found themselves in the nightmare maze that will lead to the arena.

Yumekui realized that Yume and Kai didn't disappear completely and they were sent to another place. After finding out that Kai and Yume were okay, he, however, became worried about Yori who can't wake up from the deep sleep.

_"I wonder there's something wrong with Yori-san. I have to find him as soon as possible."_ Yumekui thought with concerns. _"Yume-san and Kai-san will be okay."_

Before he began to search for Yori, he firstly prayed with his hands clasped together.

"Yume-san, Kai-san, please be all right."

After praying for them, he began to look for Yori as he ran as fast as he could.

During the battle against the shadow phantom, Yori panted as he still had the same mysterious pain.

_"Who's there? Who are you?"_ he asked with a curious confusion, seeing the figure. Suddenly, he felt heavy as he began to pass out with his eyes went blank and began to close themsevles slowly. _"Huh? My body... I feel heavy."_

After Yori became unconscious Tsukida and the others became shocked, seeing the senseless latter passed out to the ground during the fight. To their most fear, the shadow phantom delivered his final attack on the unconscious Yori.

"Yori!" Tsukida cried as he tried to save his twin cousin. However, he cannot save him due to fighting against one of the wind demons.

Suddenly, before delivering the last strike, Kazekiri blocked the phantom's sword attack with her katana and quickly the unconscious Yori away from him quick as the wind.

"Kazekiri-san!" Kuta noticed that Kazekiri saved Yori's life.

They went towards Kazekiri and the unconscious Yori, who was cradled in her arms.

"Is Yori-kun alright?" Rika asked Kazekiri with concerns.

"For now, we need to let him deal with the phantom." Kazekiri answered.

"Him? Who's him?" Kuta asked.

Yoji noticed that Kabuto confronted the shadow phantom, much to his sudden confusing shock.

"Kabuto?! What's he doing here?" he asked in confused rage after seeing the person he always never trust for three years.

"Eh? Yoji-san, you know this person?" Rika asked Yoji, who only didn't answer her question.

"Hey, should we let him handle with the phantom, Kazekiri? the flame release user asked the wind spirit kunoichi.

"We don't have any choice, but leave it to him." Kazekiri answered with her eyes lowered reluctantly.

"But why?"

"Because... he's the one who can end the shadow phantom's life."

To Yoji's shock, he suddenly realized that Kabuto did killed Kai Kurosaki three years ago and he might defeat the shadow phantom in the similar way.

_"What's going on? Why did he help us? What's his reason to help us?"_ he thought as he pondered about Kabuto's reason to help them by defeating the shadow phantom of Kai Kurosaki.

Knowing that he had no choice but to leave this battle to the person he distrusted, he watched quietly the battle along with Kazekiri and the Inyo shinobi, who were now looking after the unconscious Yori.

During the battle, the shadow Kai attacked Kabuto with his katana, slashing him with Akikiri. After killing Kabuto, however, the shadow phantom began to notice something amiss and began to realize that it was a dead corpse.

Finding that he defeated the corpse with Kabuto's appearance, the shadow phantom got stabbed from behind as Kabuto killed him with his chakra no mesu encoated scalpel.

Suddenly, as a result of the shadow phantom's defeat, his body began to drop on the ground. Lying on the ground, the shadow Kai began to fade away after Kabuto killed him just like three years ago.

To the Inyo shinobi's shockly surprise and awe after witnessing Kabuto defeated the shadow phantom, they never knew that the real latter would deliver an ambush attack.

"No way, how did he..." Kuta began to ask about Kabuto with confusing curiosity.

"At first, he used a coprse with his own appearance. That B-rank technique he just used is called Shikon no Jutsu," Yoji explained about Kabuto's ninjutsu. "He used his own body double to confront the shadow phantom before he made his final attack."

"You mean the other person the shadow phantom attacked was actually a corpse?!" Kuta became speechless with his eyes widen.

Kazekiri, who was now healing the unconscious Yori, realized that her healing techniques won't help.

"Is Yori awake yet?" Rika asked with the wind spirit kunoichi shooked her head as her answer.

"I can't heal him. After Kabuto defeated the shadow phantom, Yori can't wake up. Right now, he fell into the deep sleep." she explained about Yori's current status.

With Yori's in deep sleep because of the shadow phantom, the Inyo shinobi and Yoji became utmostly shocked as they found out Kazekiri can't heal the unconscious latter. Will Yori wake up as soon as possible or sleep for eternity?


	61. Chapter 60: Ayumu and Yumekui

**Chapter 60: Ayumu and Yumekui**

The situation became vast and severe as Team Tsukida, Rika, and Yoji found out that Yori can't wake up from the deep sleep after Kazekiri cannot heal him with her powers.

"Yori-kun's in a deep sleep...?" said Rika as she covered her mouth with both hands from gaping in fear.

"What do ya mean Yori can't wake up?" Kuta asked Kazekiri with chaotic confusion. "Is there any way to save him?"

"Healing a person who's in a deep sleep isn't my part of my abilities. If I can't save Yori with my own powers, then I have to leave this situation to Ayumu-sama." Kazekiri answered.

The Inyo shinobi and Yoji became surprised that Kazekiri was with Ayumu when they arrrived in the nightmare abyss.

"Ayumu-san is here?" Tsukida implied with a sudden surprise look from his face.

Suddenly, a glowing butterfly came out from Kazekiri's kimono sleeve and turned into the real form of Ayumu.

"Ayumu-sama." the Inyo shinobi noticed that Ayumu, in the form of the glowing butterfly, hid herself in the wind spirit's kimono sleeve all the time.

Ayumu checked on Yori's condition and realized that her dream vision became true already.

"I knew this would happen to Yori-kun..."

"Ayumu-san, what do you mean?" Tsukida asked.

She began to close her eyes and showed the Inyo shinobi, Yoji, Kazekiri, and Kabuto as the bamboo forest filled with black camellias changed to the battle against the shadow phantom.

During the battle, Yori received a sudden unknown headache while facing against the phantom of Kai Kurosaki until he quickly passed out and the shadow phantom prepared the last attack on the unconscious latter. After seeing Yori passed out, Ayumu's dream vision disappeared as she opened her eyes.

"I told Kazekiri to save Yori-kun from harm. However, after defeating the shadow phantom, he's still not awake from the deep sleep." explained the dream shopkeeper to the Inyo shinobi and Yoji.

Yoji became yet suspicious about Kabuto after he killed and defeated the shadow self of Kai Kurosaki. He turned around and went towards the Otogakure medical-nin, grabbing him by collar with his both hands firmly.

"Yoji-san!" Rika became shocked after seeing the flame release shinobi grabbed Kabuto.

"Give me a good reason, Kabuto. Is there a reason for helping us by letting you deal with the shadow phantom?" Yoji interrogated Orochimaru's assistant.

"I was helping, that's all." Kabuto answered as he chuckled at Yoji's question.

"Helping? Why would you help us just because you saved us from the shadow phantom?"

"Yoji-kun. The reason that we left him deal with the phantom is because I needed his help..." Ayumu answered to the flame release shinobi, much to his shock.

The reason to destroy the shadow phantom was revealed that Ayumu requested Kabuto Yakushi for his help.

Somewhere in the mist, Yori slowly opened his eyes and suddenly found himself with confusion.

"Where am I?" he asked to himself. He tried to remember and realized the last time was he fought the shadow phantom until he passed out. _"I was fighting the shadow phantom until..."_

He knew that the mysterious pain he received was the cause of his unconsciousness during the battle against the phantom. He began to wondered the mirages he saw while having a strange headache.

Suddenly, the mist around him began to fade away until he found himself in a dream shop owned by Ayumu.

"This is Ayumu-san's dream shop," he recognized the location and became confused after the mist disappeared.

He wandered around and noticed as he saw another him along with Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana came to the dream shop. He remembered that he returned to Inyogakure from his three-year training. They invited him to the dream shop as a group. He tried to hide until he suddenly realized they went passed through him. After the others didn't notice Yori after passing through him, Yori realized that this was an illusion. Wanting to find out about the illusion of Ayumu's dream shop, he followed them until he saw his other self meeting Kaito for the first time.

"Kaito-san, this is my cousin Yori Yukisaki. He's a member of my clan." Tsukida introduced the dream keeper to his twin cousin.

"Nice to meet you, Kaito." Yori greeted as he gave his hand while Kaito shook his hand to him as well.

Kaito began to notice as he stared at Yori with sudden surprise. Yori's white eyes reminded him of someone he knew three years ago; a thirteen year old genin and kunoichi of Konohagakure appeared in front of him, smiling.

"Yume..." he whispered to himself after seeing the member of the Yukisaki's white petal-like eyes.

"Kaito, what's wrong?" Yori asked as he noticed the latter became quiet

"No, it's nothing. Forgive me." Kaito shook his head as he came to his senses after seeing his very own student from three years.

Yori who watched his other self spoke with Kaito and wondered something amiss.

_"Did he just whispered Yume?"_ the twin brother of Yume Yukisaki began to ponder if Kaito knew Yume before.

Suddenly, the mist appeared once again and the illusion of the dream shop was gone in front of Yori's eyes. As the mist took Yori to another illusion, he found himself the same dream shop except he noticed Rika and Pana came to visit Kaito.

"Ayumu-san, is Kaito-san around?" Rika asked the dream shopkeeper.

"Yes, he's at the flower field of white camellias in Yume no Kuni. You're welcome to come to see him." Ayumu smiled at Pana and Rika. "What brings you two to see him?"

"Well, we got a new teammate and what's more: she's from Konohagakure." Rika stated her reason to Ayumu.

"I believe that your new teammate is Yume Yukisaki right, Rika-chan."

"That's right. To tell you the truth, I never knew that Yori-kun has a twin sister all this time!" the perky ninja tool kunoichi stated her opinion after finding out about Yori and Yume as twin siblings. "And since Yume's staying here for her training, I just want Yume to meet Kaito the Dream Keeper tomorrow!"

"Well, we need to let Kaito-san know about tomorrow, Rika." Pana reminded the ninja tool kunoichi.

"Yeah, we need to see him right now." Rika agreed.

As Rika and Pana came to see Kaito at the field of white camellias, Yori followed the two and found them speaking with the dream keeper. He watched Rika and Pana having a chat with Kaito about their two dreams became true such as Seirin and Shaolin came back after their disappearance three years ago.

"We got some wonderful news to tell you, Kaito-san," Rika mentioned. "There's a Konoha kunoichi here in Inyogakure and she's also our new teammate of Team Toshiro."

"A kunoichi from Konohagakure? Is there a reason for her to stay here in Inyogakure?" Kaito asked, wondering about the kunoichi from Konoha.

"Well, she's from Konohagakure, of course. The reason that she's staying here is because she need to train her new technique developed by Musashi-san." Pana answered.

Yori remembered as he was aware that Yume needed improved her Ju Inyoken that was created their chichiue.

"And her name is Yume Yukisaki, she's also Yori-kun's twin sister." Rika discussed about their new teammate to Kaito.

_"Yume?!"_ shocked Kaito, after Rika mentioned his former student's name.

The dream keeper became surprised as he heard Yume Yukisaki and noticed that she stayed here in Inyogakure.

"She's Yori's twin sister?" he asked about Yume's relationship with Yori.

"That's right. Yori and Yume are twin brother and sister. But even though they've the same eye color, he doesn't have a Byakugan like her." Pana explained about the difference of Yori and Yume such as their white eyes.

Kaito became speechless as he found out that Yori Yukisaki was the twin brother of his very own student from three years ago before his death.

"Oh yeah! I almost remember something to tell you. Tomorrow, I'm inviting Yume to Ayumu-san's dream shop and also I want to introduce her to you." Rika told Kaito about their next visit.

After Yori watched and listened Rika and Pana's conversation with Kaito, the mist appeared in front of him the third time and engulfed him. As the mist took Yori to the third illusion, he found himself as he was taken to a training ground near a memorial stone of Konoha.

"This is the memorial stone of Konohagakure." he stared at the memorial stone as he regcognized it.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure as he became shockly surprised. The figure he stared at was a person almost who looked like Kaito the Dream Keeper.

"Kaito?"

However, that wasn't Kaito as Yori just looked at. The figure Yori looked at was actually Kai Kurosaki, who was watching at the lake. As he watched the lake, a voice called to him.

"Kai-sensei!"

Suddenly, Yori became yet shocked and surprised as he saw his own twin sister as a genin.

_"Yume? And that means this was three years ago before Kabuto killed her sensei."_

In the meantime, Ayumu told Yoji and the others her reason why did she requested Kabuto Yakushi for his help in order to defeat the shadow phantom of Kai Kurosaki.

"You requested him? But why...?" Yoji asked.

Ayumu went silent and disquiet as she knew that Kabuto once was an acquaintance of Yokami.

"For now, I need to save Yori-kun before it's too late." she remined Yoji and the others as she went toward the unconscious Yori and used her gray chakra as she placed both hands on the latter.

"Ayumu-san, you can save him, right? I can't let Yori-kun sleep very long like this!" Rika cried with concerns bearing on her shoulders.

"Rika..." Pana comforted her teammate and partner as she embraced Rika, consoling her.

"I suggest you all need to wait and have faith in Ayumu-sama. However, we can't break her concentration and we must be quiet." Kazekiri convinced the others.

As Ayumu tried to save Yori with her chakra, she suddenly noticed that she can't rescue he unconscious latter with all her chakra alone. She began to let her tears as she closed her eyes in fear.

"Ayumu-san, what's wrong?" Tsukida asked as he noticed that she broke down in tears.

_"This isn't good, I can't save Yori-kun with all my chakra I have currently. Before Nii-sama left Inyogakure because of his forbidden creations, I still had my whole chakra with a gray color and I can save those who're under the genjutsu or hypnotism unconsciously. But back then... Nii-sama spared me and took my other half of my own chakra away from me including my own ability to see dream visons."_ She looked down as she can't save Yori with all she got. _"I'm sorry... Yori-kun."_

As they watched the worried dream shopkeeper tried to save the unconscious Yori, a familiar voice appeared out of nowhere, calling to them.

"Yoji, everyone!"

The others heard a voice calling them and turned around with sudden surprise. Yoji and the Inyo shinobi became speechless but surprised as they saw Yumekui coming towards them.

"Yumekui...!" Yoji became suprirsed as he watched Yumekui toward him.

"You're okay, Yumekui-kun!" Rika became relieved after seeing Yumekui's wellness.

After Yumekui came to them, Yoji embraced the dream eater in relief and joy after reuniting him.

"I'm so worried about you, Yumekui. I thought I'd lose you if I couldn't find you." he sighed in relief as he kept embracing Yumekui.

"I'm sorry for making you worried like that, Yoji. Especially everyone." Yumekui replied as he apologized.

"But at least you're all right. How did you find us, Yumekui-kun." Tsukida asked.

"Well, I found you because of my dream vision; the one that Yori-san can't wake up from his deep sleep after the battle against the shadow phantom." Yumekui answered.

To their dumbfounded surprise, Yumekui's dream vision was the same as Ayumu's.

"No way... It can't be a coincidence, right?" Kuta implied as he never knew that Yumekui received the same dream vision as the dream shopkeeper's.

"It may be true, Kuta. Of course Yumekui-kun has the same ability as Ayumu-san's." Tsukida stated.

As they found out the same unexpected coincidence, Yumekui stared at the silent and tearful dream shopkeeper, trying to save Yori-kun from the eternal sleep. Staring her with concerns, the dream eater knew that she needs his help.

He recalled back then before he went to the Crimson Butterfly Castle to warn Yoji about Yume's fate. Yumekui woke up from his long sleep and found himself in the bedroom of the dream shop owned by Ayumu.

"This is Ayumu-san's dream shop." He remembered the location he was currently stayed as he got up from the bed.

Suddenly, Asaka came to the bedroom and noticed Yumekui finally woke up with a surprise.

"Oh! You're awake. You've been sleeping for the long time while Kazekiri-san and I looked after you." said the flower spirit.

Seeing the flower spirit coming in, Yumekui became surprised as he began to say something to the flower spirit, "Asaka-kun, is that you?"

To Asaka's sudden surprise, he never knew that Yumekui remembered him.

"Huh?! You know me after three years ago? I thought Ayumu-san sealed your memories back then... Oh!" the flower spirit covered his mouth after he almost blurted it out to the latter.

"Ayumu-san... sealed my memories of three years ago?" Yumekui replied with sudden confusion in his eyes. He realized that he regained his unsealed memories after confronting his nightmare self born within his heart. "My own memories from three years ago? I get it, I remember everything. The dream shop, the Yume no Kuni, and Ayumu-san. Asaka-kun, you're my first friend before I met Yoji."

Asaka became surprised that Yumekui had met Yoji before.

"You've been friends with Yoji-san!? Wow! I never knew that you have another friend other than me." he commented with a smile.

Yumekui began to wonder why would Ayumu sealed his memories from three years right before he met Yoji. Pondering on the dream shopkeeper's reason, he began to ask the latter's shop assistant, "Asaka-kun, you said that Ayumu-san sealed my memories three years ago, right?"

Asaka knew that Yumekui wanted to know about his boss's reason why that she sealed the dream eater's memories three years ago. Of course, he already blurted it out accidently after Yumekui remembered the latter's name.

"Well... I guess I have to explain about Ayumu-san's reason why did she sealed your three-year memories of her, me, and this dream shop." he stated.

Asaka told Yumekui why did Ayumu sealed the dream eater's memories and that the dream eater was the dream shopkeeper's created nephew.

"Ayumu-san sealed my lost memories three years ago because... I'm her created nephew?" Yumekui lost for words as he realized that his onee-san and himself were Ayumu's nephew and niece.

Asaka nodded.

"Of course, you and Megami are your late chichiue's two only creations. The reason that you're Ayumu-san's nephew is because of your ability to foresee dream visions. But not just your abilities, your gray chakra was also once belonged to Ayumu before Yokami transferred it to you during your creation."

"My gray chakra?" Yumekui began to remember that he unleashed his chakra as he protected Yori from his Akuma Akumu-like nightmare self. "That's right. Last time, I used my chakra to protect Yori-san for the very first time. "

Asaka began to wonder about how did his friend regained his unsealed memories of three years ago.

"Yumekui, there's something I want to ask. How did you recovered those lost memories Ayumu-san sealed them three years ago?" he asked Yumekui.

Yumekui realized that his important dream to be friends with humans showed him his unsealed memories of Asaka, Ayumu, and the dream shop of Inyogakure. He knew that he stumbled to a different and yet similar land Yume no Kuni, while he was sleeping.

"It happened after I confronted my own nightmare self and I claimed my important dream. I have Yoji as my only friend, but I have others who understand me as well including you, Asaka-kun," he explained to Asaka. "After I accepted my other self, I fell asleep for a while; while I was sleeping, I saw my lost and unsealed memories after retrieving them in my dreams. I almost remembered everything from seeing my own memories three years ago that were once sealed and lost."

"So then, that's why you remembered me when I entered the bedroom to check on you if you're awake or not." Asaka understood Yumekui's reason for retrieving his unsealed memories.

After the dream eater explained to the flower spirit, Yumekui began to wonder if his aunt was here or not and asked the assistant, "Asaka-kun, is Ayumu-san here? I want to see her after I finally found out that I'm her nephew."

Asaka hesitated and concerned about his boss as he reluctantly answered, "Actually, I don't think she want to see you after you regained your lost memories of three year ago. I'm sorry, Yumekui. The reason that she don't want to see you in person is because... you remind her of your chichiue. Of course, her older nii-san was actually Yokami, the late Sannin and missing-nin of Inyogakure."

After Asaka told Yumekui about his connection to Ayumu, the dream eater watched his aunt, trying to save Yori desperately with her half gray chakra. Realizing that his aunt needed his help, he bravely went towards to her and the unconscious as everyone noticed with sudden surprise.

"Yumekui-kun?" Rika wondered about the dream eater's intention after coming toward the dream shopkeeper.

After kneeling with Ayumu, much to her sudden shock after seeing her created nephew, Yumekui gave his both hands to her with a determination look from his face.

"Ayumu-san, please let me help you. We can do this together in order to save Yori-san." he requested the dream shopkeeper, much to her sudden surprising awe.

However, she shook her head after hearing his plea.

"No... I can't let someone like you get involved with me. I couldn't afford your wish to help me in order to save Yori-kun."

"But still, I have the same gray chakra as yours especially my ability to foresee visions in my dreams."

Ayumu became silent as she knew that she and Yumekui had the same chakra with a similar color and ability to foresee dream visions. However, she couldn't bear on having Yumekui as her own created nephew after her deceased older brother took her half chakra and ability prior to his defection from Inyogakure. She recalled that incident of Inyogakure as she was ordered to stop Yokami's researches of kinjutsu.

_"When I was thirteen years old, the Third Inyokage-sama ordered me to stop and apprehend Nii-san after finding out that he researched on kinjutsu. However, he already dispatched two Inyo Anbu members except myself as his own imoto-chan. After I was spared by my own nii-san, he absorbed half of my gray chakra including my ability to foresee dream visions."_

Fifteen years ago, after Yokami took down two Anbu members of Inyo and spared his very own imoto-chan Ayumu, he suppressed the surviving latter as he prepared to absorb the gray chakra from her. A teenage kunoichi became confused after Yokami didn't kill her along with the two members of the Anbu.

"Nii-san... Why? Why didn't you kill me? You do know that I'll be your enemy, right?" she asked after recognizing that Yokami didn't kill me.

"I can't kill you because you have a special ability and chakra with a combination of black and white. To tell you the truth, I have no right to kill my own imoto like you. If I kill you along with the two Anbu members, I'd rather receive regret. Forgive me, Ayumu." Yokami confessed his reason for sparing Ayumu's life as he was about to commence his chakra absorption on his very own imoto-chan.

When the missing-nin to be started absorbing Ayumu's chakra, the latter fell unconsciously. As she regained her consciousness, she realized that her nii-san became a missing-nin after he took her half gray chakra along with her special ability.

_"After Nii-san's defection, I resigned myself as a kunoichi and became a dream shopkeeper of my own shop. As I created a land within the subconsciousness, I used my two shikigami to assist me: Asaka-kun, the flower spirit and Kazekiri, the wind spirit kunoichi."_

After recalling her past, she knew that her own nii-san Yokami couldn't kill her because of her special ability and gray chakra unlike the normal shinobi of Inyogakure's chakra either dark or light.

"Even though you have chakra with a gray color, I can't let you help me however. I'm sorry, Yumekui... I have no right to receive your support."

"That's not true! You can't do it alone with your remaining chakra. You need me!" the dream eater stated that Ayumu needed his support.

"But why would you want to help me, Yumekui-kun?" Ayumu asked for Yumekui's reason to help her.

"The reason that I have your chakra and ability to foresee dream visions is because I'm your own nephew!" he answered as he claimed himself as Ayumu's nephew.

To Yoji and the Inyo shinobi's speechless surprise, they never knew that Yumekui claimed himself as Ayumu's nephew.

"Wait, what?! Am I hearing things?! Yumekui is... her nephew!?" Kuta implied as he became dumbfounded and speechless.

Yoji began to realize that Kabuto knew about Ayumu's connection to Yumekui.

"Kabuto. You know about this. You realize that Megami and Yumekui are Ayumu's nephew and niece all this time?" he asked after finding out about Ayumu's connection to the late Sannin and missing-nin.

"Of course, I'm aware about Yumekui's connection to Ayumu-san because he's the second user of both gray chakra and ability of predicting dream visions. After all, Orochimaru-sama and I were once Yokami's acquaintances before his death."

"Before his death, that was..." Tsukida realized that his twin cousin Yume defeated the missing-nin and Sannin of Inyogakure.

"That's correct. Yume defeated Yokami with her new ability: the Ju Inyoken. His plan to destroy Inyogakure became a failure and his remaining former followers resigned themselves as missing-nin," Kabuto explained. "Before he left once he finished his two only creations, Yokami did mention about himself before he became a missing-nin. He lost his parents to the shinobi world war and only had one sibling with him during his time in Inyogakure. However, fifteen years ago after he began to research kinjutsu, Yokami disappeared after he took down two members of the Anbu and spared only one."

To their sudden confusion that the late Yokami left one person alive before he escaped from Inyogakure after his forbidden researches leaked out, Yoji began to realize as he remembered about Yokami's only family.

"I get it. I should have known all this time. Fifteen years ago, I heard that Yokami only took out two Anbu members who were trying to apphrend him after his researches on creating kinjutsu leaked out. Before his defection, he only spared one person who tried to stop him also. The last survivor who didn't stop Yokami was actually Ayumu-san."

Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became shocked that Yokami was actually Ayumu's nii-san.

"Ayumu-san... Is this true?" asked Tsukida as he stared at her with hesitation.

"Everything about Yokami and his defection from fifteen years ago are true," Ayumu answered as she nodded at the Yukisaki heir. "Kabuto-san knows about myself and my connection with Yumekui-kun, my own nephew created by Nii-san..."

"If you know about Yokami-sama's two creations, then what about Megami-sama?"

"To be honest, the Third Inyokage-sama told me about Nii-san's old journal filled with his researches including Megami-sama and Yumekui-kun after the Seirei village massacre. And after seeing my own created niece as a kunoichi right before she regained her memories about herself, she left on her journey to find Nii-san until she joined Orochimaru and Kabuto-san."

Ayumu became pity to herself after she finished confessing about herself and her relationship with her deceased older brother and two created relatvies.

"After finding out that Nii-san created his two creations as his own children, I didn't know what to say or even think about you or Megami-sama... I shouldn't let Nii-san left Inyogakure back then; it was my fault for being spared by him.

The dream eater shook his head as a refusal, knowing that it wasn't her fault.

"It's not your fault, Ayumu-san. I understand how you felt back then; otou-sama didn't kill you because you're important to him," Yumekui explained to his aunt. "Three years ago before you sealed my memories, I felt astonished on seeing your dream shop filled with wonders and your created land without nightmares. While I visited you every time in my dreams, however, I felt in pain after eating humans' dreams and nightmares. When I was in pain, I could hear their accursed words at me and my existence; as a dream eater, I ruined everyone's hopes and dreams."

Yumekui closed his eyes and knew that his former ordeal was already in the past after he confronted his other self. He knew that Ayumu saved him by sealing his three-year memories in order to keep him well from pain.

"You were worried about me and my own wellness, right, Ayumu-san? The reason you sealed my memories of you and the Yume no Kuni three years ago is because you don't want me to feel pain and suffer from eating humans' dreams and nightmares."

Ayumu became surprised that her nephew realized her reason for sealing the memories.

"Yumekui-kun... did you recovered your memories I sealed them?"

Yumekui nodded.

"After I confronted and accepted my nightmare self, I saw my lost and unsealed memories while I'm asleep. When I regained all of them from three years ago, I began to realize you're trying to protect me all this time." he smiled at his aunt. "Thank you... Thank you for protecting me all this time even my memories from three years were sealed."

After Ayumu received thanks from her nephew, she closed her eyes and gave a determined look from her face.

"Place your hands on mine, Yumekui-kun. I'll need your help and I can't do it alone to save Yori-kun." she ordered him.

The dream eater placed his hands on Yori's chest just as he was told to. After placing them, the dream shopkeeper continued to tell her nephew the next step.

"All right. Can you resonate your chakra with mine, Yumekui-kun?"

Yumekui nodded as an answer. Their gray chakra unleashed altogether and attracted the other shinobi's amazement.

"Whoa!" Kuta placed his arm in front of his face as he kept watching Yumekui and Ayumu unleashed their gray chakra.

"This is unbelievable." Pana remarked after seeing two gray chakra unleashed together.

"Yumekui..." Yoji became dumbfounded watching the two chakra resonated.

Ayumu knew that her nephew can save Yori from his eternal sleep with their chakra resonance altogether.

"Yumekui-kun. I believe that you can save Yori-kun. You need to find him before anything happens to him." she said to his nephew. "I'm putting my faith in you. Please save Yori-kun."

The dream eater answered, "I will."

Yumekui closed his eyes, hoping to find Yori no matter what. Somewhere in Yori's subconsciousness, the dream eater found himself within the mist. Realizing that he finally arrived, he need to find Yori before anything happens to the latter. Yumekui kept running as fast as he could, searching for Yori within the subconsciousness.

_"Yori-san, hang in there. I'll find you no matter what!"_

Will the dream eater Yumekui find Yori before something worse happens to the Yukisaki shinobi?


	62. Chapter 61: Kai Kurosaki

**Chapter 61: Kai Kurosaki**

Somewhere in the illusion of the Konoha training field, Yori became speechless as he watched his twin sister as a genin with her sensei before his death.

"That was Yume from three years ago." said Yori, realizing while watching at the two Konoha shinobi. He noticed the person, who looked like Kaito the Dream Keeper, was actually Yume's sensei. "And that person... He must be Yume's sensei."

Watching the two, the young Yume took somthing from her ninja pouch and showed it to her sensei.

"Look what I found! It's a white camellia." the Hyuga genin showed a white camellia to Kai, much to his surprise.

"That's wonderful. I'd never knew that you could find it." Kai took a white camellia from her hands and looked at it with atonish.

"I used my Byakugan, that's all." she smiled. "Also, this is for you, Kai-sensei."

Kai became surprised as his student searched this white camellia with her Byakugan. He went towards Yume closely, much to her surprise.

"Stay still, okay?" he told his student to hold stay which Yume nodded as she was told to.

Kai placed the white camellia Yume found on her hair as an accessory as she became more surprised than she expected.

"I think the white camellia matches perfect with your eyes." he made his opinion after placing a flower hair-like accessory on Yume.

Yume became bashful as her face became blushed when her sensei made a compliment after placing a white camellia around her hair as an accessory.

"Um... Thank you." she thanked him as she smiled at her sensei.

After Yori watched the moment of his twin sister and her sensei, the mist suddenly engulfed him as it began to take him to the next illusion.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the dark void, Yume found herself in an empty and dark void and noticed there was no one around.

"Where am I?" asked Yume.

Suddenly, a corpse appeared before her, much to her utmost shock, as she recognized the body.

_"What?! Is that... Kabuto? Why is he dead?"_

After finding out that Kabuto was somehow dead, she noticed her whole body began to disappear slowly with sudden confusing shock. Right before she was about to disappear completely, she noticed her friends from both Konogakure and Inyogakure. Those who were important to her, Konoha 11 along with Sai and her teammates, Team Tsukida, and her twin brother Yori appeared in front of her.

"Everyone!" she tried to call and reach them while her body slowly faded into nothingness, but they couldn't hear her. _"Why? What's going on? My body is fading away all the sudden and I can't reach them even they can't hear me."_

She kept calling to them frantically as her whole body finally disappear. Before Yume finally disappeared, she tried to reach them with her hand, noticing they left without her.

"Everyone! Don't go!" She cried as her voice was gone along with her body.

All the sudden, Yume woke up with a sudden gasp and bewildering fear in her eyes from an unclear nightmare.

_"Was that... a nightmare?"_ she wondered as she became worried and confused after having a nightmare of herself disappear and Kabuto was killed for unknown reasons.

"You're awake."

She found herself cradled in his arms as she noticed her sensei stayed by her side while she was unconscious.

"Kai-sensei..."

She remembered that he embraced her after picking a white camellia that was shone and the two was taken to another dimension, separating from Yumekui. She realized that the two got separated from Yumekui and became worried about the dream eater.

"Where's Yumekui-kun?" asked Yume, worrying about Yumekui after the separation.

"I don't know, but I'm sure he'll be alright." Kai stated as he became positive, hoping that the dream eater will be okay.

She stood up and noticed that something different.

"Where are we, Kai-sensei?" She looked around after realizing that she and Kai were in a different dimension of the Abyss of True Nightmares.

"It seems that we're somehow in the labyrinth of the abyss." Kai answered as he claimed that they already found themselves lost.

"A labyrinth of this abyss?" Yume wondered and began to use her Byakugan.

Using her dojutsu, she analyzed the labyrinth in order to a way out, however the labyrinth disabled her Byakugan from finding an escape for her and Kai. She felt confused, noticing that her Byakugan was deactivated quickly after the labyrinth disabled her dojutsu.

"This labyrinth... It sealed my Byakugan from finding a way out." Yume explained.

Kai became concerned on finding a way out of this maze of the abyss without the support of her Byakugan.

"Without your Byakugan to search a way out, this could be difficult." he stated.

Suddenly, a white key began to glow once again in Yume's ninja pouch. She noticed and took it out from her ninja pouch, and the glowing white key began to float in the air, much to their surprise.

"The white key, it's glowing."

"I think it's leading us a way out." Kai realized that the floating and glowing white key was helping them by leading them to the exit of the maze.

Before they started following the white key, Kai noticed his student became anxious.

"What's wrong, Yume?" he asked.

Yume noticed that Kai became worried about her and began to wonder about the nightmare she just had. In her nightmare, she saw Kabuto got killed for unknown reasons and her whole body began to disappear all the sudden.

"Actually... There's something bothering me. I just had a nightmare and..."

Yume explained about the current nightmare she received before they started to follow the white glowing key. Kai became disquiet as he realized that Yume's nightmare was connected to something related.

"I can't believe it..." Kai never realized as he became speechless.

Yume noticed Kai's face became concerned.

"Huh? Is something wrong, Kai-sensei?"

"That nightmare of yours, I never realized that this is connected to Yumekui-kun's dream vision." Kai explained.

"Connected to Yumekui-kun's dream vision? What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Before he got captured by my nightmare self, Yumekui-kun told me about his dream vision of Yoji killed Kabuto and you began to disappear." Kai explained. "The dream vision he just had was similar to his first dream vision before Orochimaru resigned as the host of this game three years ago."

"His first dream vision?" she replied.

"His first dream vision was about the former challengers were trying to kill Orochimaru, who was once a host of the Seven Stages of Nightmares and the creator himself. After killing the host, they began to disappear without completing the game."

To Yume's shock, she never knew that Yumekui's dream vision of herself disappear after Kabuto's death was the same as his first dream vision.

"Then I have to complete the nightmare game right now..."

"That's right, you're still asleep and you need to complete the final stage as soon as possible."

The two watched the floating white key piece as it was about to beckon them to follow the way out from the maze.

"For now, we have to follow the white key."

"Right." Yume nodded, agreeing with her former sensei.

The two Konoha shinobi followed the white key somewhere in the maze of the abyss. Later, somewhere in Yori's subconsciousness, a mist took him to many memories of Kai Kurosaki such as his death by Kabuto during his mission and his corpse covered with a white sheet and Yume collasped on her knees and cried with sorrow. All the sudden, the mist disappeared and left Yori somewhere in Ayumu's dream shop once again.

"Huh? I'm at Ayumu-san's dream shop again?"

Noticing that he was taken to the dream shop, he noticed someone was asleep on the bed.

"There's someone sleeping there. I wonder who could that be..."

Yori stood still and waited for someone regained his consciousness. As the person got up from the bed, Yori became shocked as he somehow recognized someone's appearance.

"Is that...!?" he became speechless and confused after seeing Kai Kurosaki whom was supposed to be killed by Kabuto three years ago.

Yori began to wonder why his twin sister's sensei was taken to Ayumu's dream shop.

_"What's going on? Why did Kai came to this very place?"_ He pondered on why.

Suddenly, Ayumu entered the room where Kai currently was.

"I see you've awake." she noticed that Kai regained his consciousness.

Kai confronted Ayumu after he woke up and became confused when he found himself in a different place instead of the afterall he was sent to.

"Who are you and where am I? All I remembered was that I was already dead and was supposed to be taken to the afterlife."

Ayumu knew that Kai didn't realize what happened after his death.

"Actually, I summoned you here after your former self died." she answered.

After Ayumu explained what happened and why was he sent here, he became unsure why that he was still alive.

"If you summoned me here, then why am I still alive?" he wondered.

"The reason why I summoned you is because I took your soul from your former body after your death." she explained. "Although you've already died, your soul remains here from now on after I placed it to your new body."

"My soul... You mean I have to stay here for eternity?" he began to realize that he cannot go to the reality with his new body and his soul remained here in the dream shop. He touched his chest with his right hand, wondering if his soul was still here.

"Yes, you can't go to the real world where your former self was gone after your tragic death, thus you were forced to stay here. And I know summoning the dead is very forbidden in the world of both shinobi and onmyoji."

"Onmyoji? You're an onmyoji?" he asked her if she's one after she summoned him.

"Yes... I was also once a kunoichi as well. My former clan, the Seishin clan, were once both onmyoji and shinobi until they were exiled by the Inyokage because of my member of that clan made forbidden researhes such as kinjutsu." she explained about herself and her former clan. "For now, I'm the last member."

"Inyokage? Then this is Inyogakure." he realized that Ayumu took him to her dream shop of Inyogakure, the village of secret arts and ally to Konohagakure.

"Yes," she answered as she nodded.

"But why did you summoned me here?"

"I want you to be my shikigami since I gave you a new life." she requested. "Also, I want you to help me to protect everyone's dreams."

"You want me to be your shikigami even though you're an onmyoji?"

She nodded as her answer.

"Once you accept my request, I'll give you one wish."

"Only one wish..."

"Before that, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ayumu, I'm the shopkeeper of my dream shop in Inyogakure. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kai Kurosaki."

To his surprise, Kai never realized that Ayumu knew about him.

"How do you know me?"

"I heard your prayer after you died. That's why I summoned you here after hearing your prayer."

Kai knew that he's already dead and yet was given a new life by Ayumu, the last living member of the Seishin clan and both onmyoji and kunoichi of Inyogakure. He took a moment to decide after given a request by the dream shopkeeper. With that, he finally decided.

"All right, I'll become your shikigami, Ayumu. And my only wish is to be a dream keeper to look after the dreams and protect them which you told me to," he confessed his wish to Ayumu.

Ayumu nodded with a faint smile and replied, "Very well. Then I shall bestow you your new powers."

She gave a cane with a crystal inside to Kai.

"What's this?" he asked after receiving a special cane.

"It's a dream cane. It gives you to see people's dreams in their mind and subconsciousness and extinguish nightmares. Also, it can transform as a weapon of your choice." Ayumu explained as she gave it to Kai.

After receiving it, the dream cane began to transform into a katana in Kai's hands, much to his surprise.

"There's one more thing I must give you, Kai." She went towards Kai and sat beside him on the bed. "Just close your eyes."

After being told, he closed his eyes and Ayumu placed her hand on his forehead and transferred her gray chakra to him. She swayed her hand away from his forehead and Kai opened his blank eyes and suddenly received his first dream vision of meeting Team Tsukida along with Rika and Pana as chunin.

After seeing his first dream vision and his eyes returned to normal, he became surprised that he could see future events.

"What is this ability you gave me, Ayumu?" he asked, wanting to know about his new ability bestowed by the original user.

"I transferred my gray chakra to you including the ability to foresee dream visions." she answered.

"To foresee dream visions, this means that you and I are seers."

"That is correct, some of my members like me received gray chakra and an ability to see dream visions as predictions. However, after my clan was exiled, I'm the only last member to obtain both chakra and ability and some of them either missing in action or killed in action from a mission or during the shinobi world war."

She stood up from the bed and requested Asaka to give Kai some new clothes since he'll be now staying in Ayumu for eternity.

"From now on, you'll be called Kaito the Dream Keeper."

Kai received his new alias and began to wondered if he could keep his real name.

"Kaito... huh?"

"Your real name, you can still keep it." Ayumu smiled at him, convincing the latter to keep the original name after giving the dream name as Kaito the Dream Keeper.

"Thank you..." Kai thanked her for letting him keep his real name.

After the illusion of Kai and Ayumu disappeared before Yori's eyes, he became speechless and slightly dumbfounded as he don't have the right words.

"Kaito the Dream Keeper... is actually... Kai Kurosaki all this time?" he said to himself with confusing thoughts in his head, searching for the right words after seeing the truth behind the last illusion. "I don't understand... If that's Kai, then why_—_"

All the sudden, an earthquake appeared in a surprise attack somewhere in the dark void as Yori felt flinchingly on the ground.

"What the...!"

He turned around from behind, noticing the ground began to collapse. To his shock, he quickly ran fast as he could, however the shattering ground caught up to him, tripping him from running. Yori caught one of the cliffs after the shattering earth subdued him from escaping and suddenly looked with fear and shock, seeing there was a dark wormhole down. A dark wormhole appeared before him tried to suck him in as the rocks and boulders fell inside.

After finding out that he was almost to be swallowed by a wormhole, he tried to climb up but to no avail as the strong force from the dark hole took hold of him.

_"Damn it... I can't get out of here... Is this means... am I going to die here?"_ he thought and suddenly shook his head in refusal. _"No! I can't die right here and now!"_

He kept trying to climb up, but the force still took hold of him. Suddenly, his hands began to slip due to the strong wind force, much to Yori's shock. After losing grip, he started to fall. However, someone's hands grabbed Yori's right hand, saving him from falling.

"Huh?"

"Yori-san!"

Yori became surprised as he looked up, realizing that Yumekui saved him just in time.

"Yumekui!"

Yumekui tried to pull Yori up from falling into the dark vortex, but the strong wind force didn't stop. However, the dream eater still kept pulling.

"Let go, Yumekui! You might get sucked in as well!"

"I can't let you go!" Yumekui exclaimed.

"But we could both end up falling!"

"I won't let that happen neither!"

He kept pulling Yori's hand as hard as he could. As he finally pulled Yori up from the cliff, the dark wormhole began to disappear into thin air. The two panted and sighed in relief after escaping the dark vortex.

"Thank goodness." Yumekui became relieved after saving Yori.

Yori became confused, but was glad that Yumekui was okay. He wondered how did he find him in his subconsciousness.

"Yumekui, how did you find me here?" he asked.

"I came here with Ayumu-san's help."

"Ayumu-san's help? Is she here as well?"

"No, Ayumu-san's still at the reality and she sent me here to save you with our gray chakra resonance."

"Gray chakra? You have that also?" Yori became dumbfounded after finding out that Yumekui had gray chakra like Ayumu. He remembered that Yumekui awakened his gray chakra to protect him from his nightmare self back then.

"Yes, I kinda finally remembered about myself and Onee-sama... that we have a relative."

"A relative?" replied Yori, wondering what Yumekui mentioned their relative.

The dream eater nodded.

"Otou-sama had an imoto-chan before he became a missing-nin and then later passed away. The one who has gray chakra just like me."

"The one who has gray chakra?" Yori replied with sudden surprise as he began to realize who Yumekui was talking about. "You don't mean..."

Yumekui nodded and answered, "Megami-onee-sama and I are Ayumu-san's created niece and nephew. I finally remember about her after I faced my other self."

After explaining to Yori about his only family, Yori noticed his whole body began to disappear in a light glow.

"Huh? What's happening?"

"Once I found you and saved you from the dark vortex, you're going to wake up soon. I'm glad I came just in time." Yumekui smiled.

"So this is just a dream and I'm still asleep then?"

"Yes, everyone's waiting for you to come back, Yori-san. Including me as well."

After his whole body disappeared in a glow light, Yori opened his eyes with a sudden gasp. He stood up, seeing Ayumu and Yumekui smiled at him with delight and grateful after the dream eater saved him from the eternal sleep. Team Tsukida, Rika, Pana, and Yoji noticed that Yori finally woke up from the deep and eternal sleep.

"Yori-kun!" cried Rika.

"Geez, you almost made us worried like that! We thought we're gonna lose ya." Kuta wiped his tears from his eyes.

"Everyone..." Yori replied after realizing everyone were worried about him after passing out during the shadow phantom of Kai Kurosaki.

After he stood up from the ground, he suddenly noticed that Kabuto was with the others, much to his shock. Confronting the man who kidnapped his twin sister, he quickly summoned his dark katana with his right hand, alerting everyone including Kazekiri, Ayumu, and Yumekui.

"Yori!" shocked Tsukida, seeing Yori tried to attack Kabuto.

As Yori tried to do so, Yoji restrained Yori's right arm from attacking Kabuto, much to the latter's shock.

"What're you doing?! Let go!" Yori shouted at Yoji.

"He's not here to harm us, Yori." Yoji exclaimed.

"But why is he here?"

Yoji hesitated and answered, "Kabuto just saved our lives by killing the shadow phantom we fought right after you passed out all the sudden."

"Eh? He killed the shadow phantom?" Yori just found out that Kabuto already defeated the phantom all by himself and pondered why after he was unconscious for a long time during his fight against the shadow phantom. Suddenly, he began to realize that the shadow phantom was actually the shadow of Kai Kurosaki, Yume's deceased sensei right before he saw the actual latter in the illusions of memories. _"It can't be..."_

Suddenly, a sudden earthquake came out of nowhere, giving them a shaky feeling.

"What the!?" shocked Kuta.

"An earthquake?" Rika asked.

As the ground shook, a mysterious building came out from the ground out of nowhere. It was a monochrome coliseum in ruins appeared before the shinobi.

"What is that?" asked Pana with sudden speechless.

"A coliseum?" Seiichi guessed after noticing a coliseum came out of nowhere.

"We should go in right now. From now on, you'll be spectactors of the Seven Stages of Nightmares." Kabuto explained after the coliseum appeared.

"Huh? Us, as spectators? What the hell are ya talking about, Four-eyes?!" Kuta became confused after they became an audience for the nightmare game.

"As you can see, despite as being outsiders, I allow you to watch Yume's battle."

"Yume's battle?" Yori replied and suddenly began to realize that his twin sister will be fighting against Megami on the final stage. "You don't mean...!"

"Yes, the final battle of Megami and Yume."

To Yori's speechless, he never knew that he and the others will be watching his own twin sister's battle.

Suddenly, Tsukida began to tell everyone, "We don't have any choices, everyone."

"Tsukida-kun..." Rika replied.

"I know we can't interfere the game. Remember we have the mission to complete. All we have to do is wait for Yume-san to complete the game." he reminded everyone. "So for now, all we have to do is to support her."

"Tsukida..." Yori became surprised.

"I agree with Tsukida," Yoji replied. "Even though my job as her guardian was finished, it doesn't mean I have to do nothing. But after Yume completed sixth stage, I decided to join her and you all to return to Inyogakure."

"Yoji-san..." Rika knew that she already made a promise to Yoji.

"Well... I guess we have to watch Yume-chan's battle." Kuta knew that he doesn't have any choice.

"That's right. Even though we're outsiders, all we have to do is to cheer Yume on." Seiichi stated.

After Ayumu realized that the Inyo shinobi were going to support Yume, she knew that her task was done and summoned the dream door in front of her.

To Yume Retrieval Team's surprise, they noticed that Ayumu was about to return to her dream shop in the real world.

"Eh? Ayumu-san, you're leaving already." asked Rika.

"Yes, my job is done after Yumekui-kun and I saved Yori-kun." answered Ayumu.

Yumekui began to wonder if his aunt doesn't want to see Megami.

"Um, you're not going see Megami-onee-sama, are you, Ayumu-san?"

Ayumu became shocked that her created nephew realized what's her reason before she was about to return to her dream shop. She became disquiet and reminisced her conservation with the Third Inyokage.

Three years ago, the Third Inyokage visited Ayumu at her dream shop after Megami's defection due to the massacre of the Seirei village. During their conservation, they were having tea at the table.

"Inyokage-sama, I didn't expect that to think that you would come to visit me." said Ayumu, noticing that the Inyokage would visit her dream shop.

"I just came to see you, Ayumu. It's been a while since you resigned yourself as a kunoichi," the Inyokage answered. "To tell you the truth, you were once a marvelous kunoichi and onmyoji."

"That was all in the past." Ayumu replied as she lowered her eyes. "Anyway, what brings you here to visit me?"

The Inyokage knew his own reason to visit her because of that incident.

"I came to tell you about the mission the team led by Yoshiro."

"You mean the villagers from the Seirei village who were spirited away?"

"Yes, that mission was forced to become a failure." he answered, much to Ayumu's confusing shock.

"They failed the mission? But why?"

"The Seirei village was destroyed..." he answered.

Ayumu's eyes widen in shock as the Seirei village was destroyed instead despite that her dream vision of the villagers were spirited away didn't become true.

"The whole village was destroyed... Who did this?"

The Inyokage hesitated at the moment and then answered with no choice, "Megami massaraced the whole village."

After finding out that Megami was responsible for massarcing the villagers, Ayumu lost for words.

"Megami-sama... massarced the Seirei village?"

Then the Third Inyokage took an old journal from his haori and placed it on the table. The journal was old and tattered in dirty stains and the pages were slightly torn.

"An old journal?" she recognized.

"Please read it, Ayumu. I want you to understand the reason why Megami destroyed the Seirei village."

She took the old journal and started reading and scanning and flipping the pages. Looking at it, she became shocked and she realized that this journal and its researches were belonged to her nii-san Yokami.

"These researches in this journal... It can't be..." she became shockly speechless as she finished scanning the old journal.

"They're belonged to Yokami and this old journal was connected to the Seirei village massacre." the Inyokage explained.

Ayumu became confused that some researches were connected to the Seirei village right before its destruction.

"What do you mean, Inyokage-sama?" she asked.

"The truth is... Megami is your niece or rather your created niece. Yokami created her seven years ago as his own daughter." he answered.

The dream shopkeeper's eyes widened in shock as she never thought that Megami was Yokami's created daughter and her niece.

"I... I can't believe..."

"Megami isn't the only one created by Yokami. There's another child who was also created as well." he mentioned the second child.

"Another?" she replied.

"This one is connected to you, Ayumu. Since your brother took your half chakra away from you including your ability to foresee dream visions, he created a boy who's a dream eater, a creature who devour dream and nightmares from humans." he explained. "And I'm not sure about the boy's whereabouts since he abandoned his laboratory near by the Seirei village."

Ayumu became surprised that the Third Inyokage explained about someone she knew.

"You mean... Yumekui-kun... is also my created nephew as well..." she unconsciously blurted it out.

To the Inyokage's shock, he never knew that she knew about Yumekui the dream eater.

"It seems this isn't just a coincidence." he realized and finally understood. "Ayumu, when did you know about that?"

Ayumu closed her eyes and answered, "I met him when he was asleep in his dreams. He always visited my dream shop to see me whenever he was asleep. During that time, he befriended my assistant Asaka-kun. Back then, he was amazed by my shop and my created dream land and people's dreams wished to become true. However..."

"However?"

"That day he visited me, he was with Asaka in Yume no Kuni, seeing the white camellias. He was just okay, but he wasn't feeling well because he coughed blood. I made one of my shikigami to cure Yumekui-kun's critical condition and saved his life. But... I somehow found out when Kazekiri sensed his chakra was the same as mine's especially the power to see visions in dreams."

The Inyokage listened to Ayumu's first meeting with Yumekui and the connection between the two. He never knew that Ayumu met Yumekui in his dreams.

"To think you've met your own nephew in his dreams, I don't have the right words to say." he stated.

"Kaito explained to me about Yumekui-kun's origins that Nii-san created him seven years ago. I was lost for words back then and I don't want to remember Nii-san. So I sealed Yumekui-kun's memories of myself, my dream shop, and the others. Right now, he didn't came in his dream after I sealed his memories for good."

"But why would you do that, Ayumu?"

"It's because his abilities and himself remind me of Nii-san. I don't have the right to be his aunt."

The Inyokage understood her reason and stood up as he was about to leave. Before he left, he asked one more thing.

"Ayumu, there's one more thing I need to ask. What will you do if Yumekui-kun regained his memories of you and this dream shop that you already sealed them away?" he inquired.

She became surprised that the Third Inyokage asked her if Yumekui's sealed memories will returned someday.

"I..."

"It's alright. You don't have to answer, Ayumu. Someday, you may confront him sooner or later."

After remembering the Third Inyokage's question, she knew that her nephew regained his memories from three years ago after facing his other self.

"Yumekui-kun, what will you do next after you already regained your memories I sealed three years ago?" she asked.

After Yumekui was given a question, he took a moment to think about it and answered, "I may... stay with you, Ayumu-san. Besides, Yoji already left the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares and quitted as the puppet leader. So I want to go with him as well in order to stay with you, Ayumu-san."

To everyone's shock, they became speechless after Yumekui gave his answer.

"Yumekui-kun, are you really sure?" Tsukida asked.

"Yes, I'm very sure."

Kabuto never knew that Yumekui made up his mind and realized that the dream eater became changed.

"If you're going with Ayumu-san, then you should let her know." he convinced the dream eater.

Yumekui knew that he would Megami after going with Yoji and the others once Yume completed the game.

"That's right... I have to let Megami-onee-sama know."

Ayumu knew that her task was done and went towards the door. She noticed that Kazekiri didn't start coming with her.

"Kazekiri, are you coming?" she asked.

"I will once I finish talking with Yori first." answered Kazekiri.

The dream shopkeeper began to realize that Kazekiri noticed the shadow phantom was actually the shadow of Kai Kurosaki which made Yori knocked out unconsciously.

"Ok, I'll leave the door open for you."

She entered the dream door to her dream shop, leaving it for Kazekiri.

"Well then, shall we get going? Megami and the others may be inside." Kabuto mentioned.

"It's not like we don't have a choice." Kuta replied.

As they were about to enter the coliseum, Kazekiri suddenly called to them, "Wait."

They stopped and noticed that Kazekiri didn't leave with Ayumu.

"Huh? Kazekiri-san, aren't you leaving with Ayumu-san?" asked Rika.

"I will, but first... I need to talk with Yori..." Kazekiri answered as her eyes indicated at Yori. "in private."

Yori wondered why Kazekiri need to speak with him in private. Wanting to know why, he told them, "Go on ahead, I'll catch up with you."

"Well, if you say so..." Tsukida replied.

"We'll see you inside, Yori-kun." said Rika.

They left Kazekiri and Yori outside alone as they entered the shadow coliseum. After they had entered, Yori confronted Kazekiri face by face.

"Is something you need to speak with me, Kazekiri-san?" asked Yori.

"Before Kabuto defeated that shadow phantom... did you notice something while you're unconscious?"

To Yori's unawareness and confusion, he wondered what was the wind spirit kunoichi talking about.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is... did you saw some illusions while you're unconscious... like Kai's memories?" she asked specifically.

Yori became shocked that Kazekiri knew that he saw some illusions of Kai Kurosaki. How did Kazekiri knew about Kai Kurosaki and why was Kai still alive after he received anew life? Those two questions Yori confronted was yet revealed.


	63. Chapter 62: The Challenge's Answer

**Chapter 62: The Challenger's Answer**

Somewhere in the maze of the abyss, Kai and Yume arrived their destination after following the white key piece. They confronted a black and white door with a keyhole that shaped like a half key piece.

"This door... I wonder where this leads us to." said Yume.

The glowing key was connected to the keyhole from the monochrome door.

"It seems like this key piece is connected to that door." Kai stated as he realized that the white key piece led them to the door.

The key that was still floating in the air went towards to the keyhole and then went inside of it. Suddenly the door opened all by itself and the white key returned to Yume's hand.

"The door's opened." she noticed with surprise. "Could it be that this leads me to the final stage?"

As she started to come towards the door, Kai sensed something amiss.

"Yume, watch out!" he yelled.

"Huh?"

A wind slash ambushed Yume by surprise as it aimed at her. He took and carried Yume in his arms, much to her surprise. After carrying his student, he quickly dodged the wind attack. After the wind slash hit the ground and gave it a slash, Yume became confused as she recognized that attack.

"That attack...!"

"What's wrong, Yume?" he asked.

"That's... Kazekiri, my Wind Release signature technique..."

Suddenly, a voice confronted the two.

"So you noticed already?" said a familiar voice, much to their surprise.

"That voice!" Kai recognized the voice which was almost similar as Yume's.

Autumn leaves appeared out of nowhere and a figure came out. As someone came out, the leaves suddenly disappeared. To the two medical shinobi's shock, they confronted a figure who was Yume except her eyes were white redish.

"It can't be..." Yume became speechless and her eyes widened in shock.

Meanwhile, inside the coliseum, Kabuto led the Inyo shinobi, Yumekui, and Yoji to the arena. As they followed Kabuto, they confronted a sealing door.

"Huh? A door?" said Rika.

"Beyond this door, there's an arena. Megami and the others are inside as well." Kabuto answered.

"So we have to go in, huh?" Kuta inquired as he went towards the door to open it.

Suddenly, Pana sensed an immersed chakra from the door and called Kuta hastily, "Wait, Kuta! Stay back!"

"Huh? What?" Kuta turned at Pana with confusion and noticed a dark aura from the door subdued the latter as he knelt down on the ground. "Ugh!"

"Kuta!" Tsukida cried as he watched Kuta got overcame by the dark aura.

Pana quickly took Kuta away from door and the latter was carried by her on her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" she asked after she saved her childhood friend.

"Yeah... Ugh. What was that?" he wondered after he got almost subdued by the door.

Kabuto shook his head and shrugged himself as he sighed in dismay.

"If you're trying to open that door, this won't be easy." he stated to Kuta.

To Kuta's dismay and annoyance, he replied, "What?! If you know about this, you should have tell me in the first place, Four-eyes!"

"If we can't open the door with that strange aura that almost hurt Kuta, then what should we do?" asked Tsukida.

"All we need is someone who can handle that dark aura from the door." Kabuto explained.

"Someone who can handle the dark aura? But the problem is who." Rika mentioned.

Suddenly, a voice called to them.

"Hey!"

They heard a familiar voice and noticed that Yori came after his conservation with Kazekiri.

"Yori. You came." Tsukida noticed.

"Well, you're just in time, Yori-kun. I was talking about you just now." said Kabuto after noticing that Yori arrived.

"What do you mean?" Yori asked with a suspicous look on his face.

"Wait a minute, you're saying that Yori can handle the dark aura from the door, Kabuto?" Yoji implied after realizing that the dark aura within the door was actually true darkness.

Yori noticed that he wasn't aware of what happened by the time he'd just arrived.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We have a big problem about that door. I was about to open it, but that strange creepy aura almost killed me all the sudden." Kuta answered after he recovered himself.

"That door?" Yori saw a door after Kuta explained the situation.

"Yeah, it will lead us to the arena, but we can't enter unless someone can deal with it first."

"Which means you're the only one who can handle it." Kabuto stated.

"The dark aura... Are you saying that aura is true darkness?" Yori implied as he felt the aura was similar to true darkness.

"That's correct. In order to enter, you need to get rid the true darkness within this door with your own true darkness," Kabuto gave the instructions to Yori. "Once you're done dealing with it, we can enter it."

After Yori received some instructions from Kabuto, he hesitated for the moment.

"Yori-kun, what's wrong?" asked Rika, noticing that Yori hesitated.

"Is something bothering you, Yori-kun? Don't tell me that you don't trust me?" implied Kabuto, noticing Yori's hesitations.

Yori watched at the door and then at Kabuto. Of course, he remembered that Kabuto kidnapped his twin sister in order to make her as the challenger of the Seven Stages of Nightmares. And what's more, he also killed Yume's sensei three years ago. Despite that, he went towards the door with a determined look on his face.

"All right, I'll do it if that's what you want." he accepted to deal the true darkness within the door.

He began to awaken his true darkness within him and it began to go inside the door.

"Everyone, I believe we should stay back for the moment. Who knows what will happen." Kabuto convinced.

The Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui stood back as they were about to watch Yori dealing with the true darkness within the door. As they watched Yori's dealing with the door, all the sudden Yori began to feel pain as the true darkness from the door.

"Ugh!"

"Yori!" Tsukida became shocked as he tried to help his cousin, but Kabuto stopped him from doing so.

"Don't help him. If you try to help Yori-kun, he'll might lose his focus." Kabuto exclaimed.

"But..." Tsukida tried to protest as he worried about Yori.

"We don't have a choice, Tsukida. All we have to do is have faith in in him for now. I'm sure Yori'll be alright." Yoji convinced the Yukisaki heir.

"Yoji-san..."

"Don't worry, Tsukida. There's no way Yori will be taken down that easily." Kuta cheered him up.

"That's right. I'm sure he'll okay once he finishes extracting that true darkness from the door." Seiichi agreed with Kuta.

With no any choice, Tsukida knew that he needed to have faith in his twin cousin.

"Yori..."

As they kept watching Yori, Yori used his full strength with his true darkness despite his struggle with pain. With that, the true darkness from the door suddenly vanished as the door began to open slowly. After extracting the true darkness from the door, Yori began to kneel on the ground as he panted after he used his true darkness in full strength.

"Yori!" Tsukida became shocked as he quickly went towards the latter.

Yori panted and panted and Tsukida knelt before his twin cousin.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm alright." Yori answered.

"At least the door is finally opened." Kabuto stated after seeing Yori's true darkness extracted the other from the door. "Shall we go in?"

After Yori dealt with the true darkness within the door to the arena, everyone entered.

Later, at the labyrinth of the nightmare abyss, Yume and Kai confronted the other Yume which seemed to be her nightmare self.

"W-who... are you?" she asked as she was at loss for words.

"I'm you. I'm the nightmare... the true self." the nightmare self claimed to be Yume's as she introduced herself.

"Don't tell me, did my nightmare self created you as well?" Kai asked.

"Close, but no he didn't... I was born when she found a white key piece." Yume's nightmare self answered.

Yume didn't realize that her nightmare self was created when she found the white half of a key.

"You're created when I found a white key...?" replied Yume as she became lost.

"The reason I confronted you is because I need your answer." she stated to Yume her reason.

"My answer?" Yume replied with confusion. "What do you mean you need my answer?"

"On your true final stage, will you kill the Nightmare Seeker in order to complete the game?"

To Yume and Kai's shock, her nightmare self asked if the challenger will kill Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

"Kill him?" Kai replied with sudden shock.

"My final opponent... is Kai-sensei's nightmare self..." Yume never realized that her true last opponent is Kai the Nightmare Seeker. "Why?"

"It's because Kabuto and Megami decided to make him as your true opponent." the nightmare self of Yume answered. "After his creation, he controls Megami's Akuma Akumu time by time. Also, until this day, he used six Akuma Akumu and made them as nightmares selves. Your teammates, Team Tsukida, and your own twin brother."

"Eh? But why?" Yume became more confused after the Nightmare Seeker.

"Why, you asked? It's because he wanted to make him suffer in pain and sorrow."

Kai knew that his nightmare self wanted to make him feel in pain and suffering after his former life was gone three years ago.

"You mean he just blame me for forgetting my past life, is that right?" he asked.

"Eh?" Yume surprised slightly after her sensei implied that his nightmare self blamed the latter for forgetting his former past self. "Kai-sensei?"

"Yes, he really blames you for forgetting your own past life and death. After you came to the Akumu no Kuni and left, your own heart created your other self."

"My own heart?" he replied.

"Yes, you let your own heart create Kai the Nightmare Seeker. After that, he received his first dream vision of himself capturing Akuma Akumu and creating their nightmare selves," she stated. "His goal is to kill those who are acquaintances to Kaito the Dream Keeper."

"Those who are acquaitances to Kai-sensei?" she replied and suddenly realized what her nightmare self meant. "You don't mean...!"

"In order to suffer his original self, he must kill Yori and the others," the nightmare self of Yume explained with a pitied look on her face.

"No..." Yume lost for words as she knelt down on the ground.

"Yume." he supported Yume, who was on the ground, with his both arms.

"What should you do; will you kill the Nightmare Seeker in order to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares?"

"I... I..." Searching for her answer, she knew something amiss when she remembered her first encounter of Kai the Nightmare Seeker from the sixth stage.

Back then, she picked up a white camellia and then it turned into a black camellia. She later confronted the Nightmare Seeker who wore a blank mask.

As she encountered the Nightmare Seeker, she never met someone an outsider other than her twin brother, her cousin, and her friends, who were here to rescue her.

"Who are you?" she asked as she slightly became suspicious of the blank masked shinobi.

However, after being asked, he didn't answer her question and instead he drew his katana by transforming his nightmare cane into one. Then, he went towards Yume as he was about to attack her. To Yume's shock, she quickly blocked his attack with her katana. Noticing that her opponent didn't answer her question and quickly attacked her, she knew that she had no choice but to deal with the mysterious person in order to find Yori somewhere in the bamboo forest.

When the battle was already started, the two katanas clashed and blocked their attacks. As Yume already activated her Byakugan, she noticed her opponent's chakra became something similar, much to her sudden bewilderment.

_"Eh? This chakra... It can't be..."_

As the battle continued, Yume gave her final attack using her signature Wind Release.

"Kazekiri!"

The wind slash attacked the Nightmare Seeker, only for him to dodge it. However, after he dodged Yume's Kazekiri, his blank mask began to crack, much to Yume's surprise. As it started to break, his blank mask crumbled into pieces and fell on the ground.

_"His mask, it's broken!"_

After seeing the blank mask broken into pieces, she checked her opponent's revealing face and became sudden dumbfounded and speechless.

_"What?! That face... It can't be. His face looked like Kai-sensei."_

The face she saw was the same face as her sensei Kai Kurosaki.

"Who are you?" Yume asked. "You look like someone I know..."

The Nightmare Seeker suddenly felt his head in pain as his hand clutched it. Looking at Yume, he saw her from three years ago as the genin. After that, the pain in his head disappeared despite that he can't remember who was this kunoichi from three years ago though it was Yume.

After remembering that the Nightmare Seeker was in pain when he saw her, she knew that the Seeker doesn't remember her and how did he got killed by Kabuto. As she realized, she finally decided her answer.

"I... I won't kill the Nightmare Seeker." Yume answered.

As she answered to her nightmare self, Yume's nightmare self's eyes widen in shock as she heard that the latter claimed that she won't kill Kai the Nightmare Seeker.

"What!? You won't kill the Nightmare Seeker? But he's trying to kill Yori and the others in order to make Kai-sensei suffer in pain and sorrow!" the nightmare self of Yume became enraged after receiving the unacceptable answer.

"I know that, but I'll never kill the Nightmare Seeker. When I saw his face, I can tell he was in pain! The reason I won't kill him is because he doesn't remember me or his own death either!" answered Yume with determined confidence.

To Kai and Yume's nightmare self's shock, they never knew that the Nightmare Seeker didn't have some memories about Yume and his own death.

"Yume..." Kai became surprisingly speechless after hearing his student's reason.

"You won't kill him... just because he lost his memories of you or his death!? Outrageous! How will you do that in order for him to recover his lost memories?" she asked in rage.

"Even though he's my final opponent, I will fight him even without killing him myself!" answered Yume.

"If this is your answer, then prove it to me by defeating me, your own worst nightmare!" Yume's nightmare self activated her Byakugan as she prepared to fight the latter.

Before Yume began to face her nightmare self, she told her sensei, "Kai-sensei, go ahead without me."

To Kai's sudden shock, he tried to protest, "But I can't leave you like this before you'll face your nightmare self, Yume."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll be right behind once I defeat my nightmare self. So please, trust me, Kai-sensei."

Kai watched Yume's eyes became so determined and knew that his own student became so strong for three years after his death. Having no choice, he nodded to her.

"All right then, so please be careful, Yume." he plead his student for her safety.

"I will." replied Yume.

Kai quickly went towards the opened door, letting Yume's nightmare self noticed.

"I won't let you!" The nightmare self of Yume tried to stop Kai from entering, only for Yume blocked the sword attack with her katana.

After stopping her nightmare self from attacking her former sensei, Kai had already entered the door.

"I'm your opponent! You said you want me to prove it to you by defeating you, is that right?"

"Tsk..." Yume's nightmare self uttered herself in dismay, knowing she wanted to know why Yume won't kill the Nightmare Seeker. "Then I guess I have no choice."

"I won't lose to you even though you're me." Yume exclaimed as she prepared to fight her nightmare self and activated her Byakugan.

The battle had just begun, will Yume defeat her nightmare self before she prepared to fight Megami?


	64. Chapter 63: The Puppet of True Darkness

**Chapter** **63: The Puppet of True Darkness**

Inside the coliseum, they've arrived the arena where the battle of Yume and Megami was held. The arena was kinda similar to the Chunin Exams preliminaries of Konohagakure, only its color became monochrome.

"This arena... It kinda has a strange air." said Rika, commenting.

After looking around, a voice appeared out of nowhere.

"My, you're still alive?"

The Inyo shinobi, Yoji, and Yumekui suddenly recognized the voice and noticed a myriad of crimson butterflies came out of nowhere as well. As the crimson butterflies disappeared, Megami and the six shinobi of nightmares appeared before them.

To the Inyo shinobi's shock except for Yori, they suddenly recognized Megami in a white attire.

"No way!" Kuta became speechless as he saw Megami in person.

"Is that... really her?" Rika lost for words as she encountered the Hokori no Megami herself.

"Megami-sama..." Tsukida never knew that she became changed after three years since the Seirei Village incident.

"Oh, it's been a while, Tsukida-sama." Megami noticed that she met Tsukida once again with a smile.

"Eh? Is this me or did she just smile at us?" Kuta noticed that Megami was smiling at them for the very first time.

"She did... After finding her true self, she adapted her feelings." Yori explained.

"I don't believe it." Seiichi never realized that Megami changed so much since her defection.

"I don't understand. Why are you still alive?" Megami wondered, realizing that the Inyo shinobi were still alive.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Pana asked.

"After the Nightmare Seeker did everything to stop you, you're still alive. I never knew you avoided death." the goddess answered.

To Yori's sudden surprise, he noticed that Megami realized about the Nightmare Seeker attempted to kill him and the others of Inyogakure.

"How did you know this?" he asked with sudden confusion.

"Oh, you forgot it already, Yori-kun?" Megami noticed that he wasn't aware that she can see any events within someone's true darkenss. "I already told you: I can see any event within true darkenss I bestowed upon."

"Then that means... you saw everything including the whole battle when we fought the shadow phantom." Yori realized.

"Yes, and to think that Kabuto-san helped you by killing the shadow phantom under Ayumu-san's request." Megami replied.

"If you saw the whole thing from my true darkness, then that means..." replied Yori as he realized that she found out that she was Ayumu's created niece due to her chichiue's relationship with the dream shopkeeper.

"Yes, Ayumu-san's Otou-sama's imoto-chan right before his defection, including she's the original user of the gray chakra before Yumekui-kun."

"No way." Kuta became dumbfounded.

"Anyway, what brings you all here in this very arena?" asked Megami.

"We're here to watch Yume-san's battle. We're just spectators for the moment." Tsukida answered.

"Spectators, you say?" she replied in slightly surprised.

"Yeah, that's right. Kaubto-san told us before we came here." answered Rika.

"Is that so...?" Megami closed her eyes and opened them again as she sighed in dismay. "I don't think I need more spectators besides my nightmare comrades."

To the Inyo shinobi's shock, they became confused after hearing their former comrade's statement for them being as spectators.

"Huh? What do y'mean?! You don't need us?" Kuta became confused.

"Why bother having outsiders like you as spectators? After all, you're all still alive after the defeat of the shadow phantom." replied Megami. "Because of this, I just have to deal with you before my final battle begins."

The Inyo shinobi including Yoji and Yumekui became more shocked than the last time after hearing Megami's claim that she will kill them all.

"Wait, you don't mean..." Yori realized that Megami was aware of the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision.

"Yes, I have to make the Nightmare Seeker-san's dream vision come true once I finish dealing with you. After all, I'm already aware of that," she answered with a delightful grin.

"Onee-sama! Do you really have to do this?! They're... They're my friends!" Yumekui asked as he became shocked and speechless.

"I'm sorry, Yumekui-kun. Even though the Inyo shinobi are your friends, I don't have any choices."

"No..." Yumekui shook his head as he don't have the right words while Yoji tried to support him while he embraced him.

"I won't let you do that! Even though you're the missing-nin from our village, Megami-sama, but I won't allow you to kill us all by yourself," exclaimed Tsukida with a serious look on his face. "I will protect my comrades and my twin cousin from the likes of you, even I have to kill you in order to prevent you from doing so!"

"Actually, I'm not going to kill you alone. I'll just let someone do it for me." Megami answered.

"Let someone do it? What are you talking about?" the Yukisaki heir became confused after hearing from Megami's statement.

She chuckled at Tsukida since he and the others weren't aware.

"Well, you'll just find out very soon enough." Megami began to perform a simple hand seal from her right hand.

The Inyo shinobi became confused as they were about to prepare themselves before something might happened. Yoji became suspscious as Megami didn't make her first move on the Inyo shinobi.

_"That's odd. All she did was making a hand seal. Something's not right. What's she up to?"_ he thought as he watched what happened next.

All the sudden, Yori felt something painful on his chest and grasped it with his right hand while the others watched Megami's next move after performing a simple hand seal. Cold sweats began to fall one by one to the ground from his head.

_"What's happening? I feel... in pain."_ Yori realized the feeling as he panted slowly.

As Yori struggled in pain, Yumemkui noticed something was wrong with the latter as he saw him becoming unwell.

"Eh? What's wrong, Yori-san?" he asked.

The others also realized that something's wrong with Yori who was now in pain.

"Yori-kun?" Rika became worried.

"Yori, what's wrong?" Tsukida asked as he tried to go towards his cousin.

"Stay back!" Yori shouted, trying to warn his cousin and the others to stay away.

"Huh? Yori?" Tsukida became shocked as Yori tried to tell him not to come closer.

After warning the others, the pain became more increased as Yori suddenly grasped his head down and shook his whole body, hyperventilating.

"Hey! What's with you?! Yori!?" Kuta asked, seeing Yori in vast pain.

"Yori-kun!" Rika cried for the latter.

As the Inyo shinobi tried to go near Yori, Yoji stopped them by shouting, "Don't go near him!"

"But he's..." Tsukida protested as he was concerned about his cousin, only for Yoji interrupted him.

"Something's not right. It feels like that something is trying to take control of Yori." Yoji stated.

"What? What do you mean, Yoji-san?" Rika asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this." answered Yoji.

After they received Yoji's answer, they realized that they can't save Yori somehow.

"You mean there's no way we can save him?" Seiichi implied as he did nothing but watching Yori in pain.

"Yori..." Tsukida became more concerned for his cousin.

While Yoji, Yumekui, and the Inyo shinobi watched Yori in pain, Kabuto began to realize that Megami performed it with a simple hand seal in order to awaken Yori's true darkness by force.

_"Don't tell me. Did Megami just awaken Yori-kun's true darkness by force in order to kill the Inyo shinobi? But why? According to Ayumu's dream vision I heard from, the Nightmare Seeker supposes to kill six Inyo shinobi. Why did she use him to kill five of them?"_ he thought as he stated that Megami used Yori as her puppet and then took a glance at Megami, who gave a delightful yet malicious smile. _"Megami, what are planning to do with Yori-kun after killing the five of them?"_

Yori kept grasping his head in pain and then let out a painful and loud scream with his arms spread wide as he awakened his true darkness in full power. A strong force almost blew the Inyo shinobi, Yoji, Yumekui, and Kabuto away while they stood still.

"Ah!" Rika screamed as she covered her face with her arms from the strong wind.

"Yori!" cried Tsukida as he stood still from the strong force.

As the strong force suddenly disappeared, Yori began to kneel down on the ground after awakening his true darkness by unknown force due to Megami's control.

"Yori-san!" Yumekui tried to go towards the kneeling latter, but was stopped by Yoji, who was in front of him with his right arm spread wide.

"Wait, there's still something's not right."

As they watched Yori slowly standing up from the ground, Yori stood still nothing as he had his true darkness within him.

"Yori?" Tsukida called to his cousin, making sure if the latter's all right.

All the sudden, Yori's eyes opened slowly, revealing them to everyone a blank look.

"Yori-kun?" Rika became confused that Yori's eyes became blank after forcibly awakening his dark aura.

"Hey, Yori! Say something, will ya?" Kuta quickly demanded Yori to talk after seeing the latter's blank white eyes.

Suddenly, an unknown out of nowhere appeared before them with a grim laugh.

"It's no use. He won't hear you anymore."

To the Inyo shinobi's, Yoji's, and Yumekui's shock, they heard a voice somewhere.

"Who's there?! Show yourself." Kuta asked after hearing a grim voice.

"I'm already here. Right in front of you all."

"Right in front of us?" Pana replied as she and the others watched at Yori and his true darkness within his body.

"That's right. I'm Yori's true darkness, his dark will," Yori's true darkness introduced itself to the Inyo shinobi, much to their shock.

"What the!? It talks!?" Kuta became shocked with his eyes widen opened after Yori's true darkness started to talk.

"I've been waiting for this for three years since I tried to possess this very person, who's been preventing me all this time from doing so," said Yori's true darkness. "And now, I can finally take control of him whenever I want, thanks to her."

"Her?" Tsukida implied after hearing his cousin's true darkness's claim.

"I believe that Megami awakened you in order to manipulate Yori-kun by force, is that right?" Kabuto inquired Yori's true darkness's reason.

"Bingo, that's correct. Thanks to Megami-sama's help, I'll make the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision come true by killing his precious cousin and friends." Yori's true darkness laughed in madness.

"Wait, you're going to kill us!? But what about Yori!? According to the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision, that Seeker tries to kill us all including Yori!" explained Kuta.

"Well, that's true, of course. But there's a change of plans. You see, Yori won't get killed by the Nightmare Seeker, however all five of you will get killed." the true darkness corrected Kuta's statement.

The Inyo shinobi became shocked at Yori's true darkness's statement that Yori won't get killed.

"Yori-kun... won't get killed?" Rika became loss at words.

"No way... Why him?! While Yori'll be alive for no reason, we'll still get killed by that Seeker!? That's unbelievable." Kuta became enraged.

"Why, you asked? Since I'm taking control of your _"friend"_, I'm already him. To me as Yori, you all are his enemy." the true darkness replied with a dark laugh.

"Us, enemy?! Yori-kun will never do that! He can't kill us!" Rika exclaimed, protesting.

"Oh, is that so? How about we should test it to see if Yori can kill you all or not?" Suddenly the true darkness, who's controlling Yori, summoned a dark katana on the latter's right hand.

The Inyo shinobi noticed that Yori will kill them against his will as they became more shocked than ever.

"Yori-kun, don't do this!" Rika shouted, trying to bring Yori back to his senses.

"Hey! Snap out of it, will ya?!" Kuta shouted as well.

"It's no use to call him. He's nothing, but a puppet. I'm his puppeteer right now," the true darkness claimed itself as Yori's puppet master. "He can't hear your cries and mercies; he can't see you as his friends. Everything around him... are his enemies!"

"We're... Yori's enemies?" Tsukida replied as he lost the right words after hearing the true darkness's claim.

After the true darkness of Yori Yukisaki claimed that those who are important, the Inyogakure shinobi stood and lost all the confidence within themselves as they won't find a way to save Yori from killing them against his will.

Meanwhile, somewhere in a empty throne room, Yori laid on the floor unconscious and suddenly his eyes slowly opened.

"Ugh... My head." He rubbed his head, massaging it after he knocked out unconscious for unknown. He suddenly realized that he was the one all by himself. "What?! Where am I?"

He found himself a familiar place as he noticed some crimson butterflies around him.

"This is..." he recognized the place after seeing butterflies with a color crimson red.

"Well, you finally woke up, huh?" a voice appeared before Yori, much to his shock out of nowhere.

Following the voice, Yori suddenly confronted the will of his true darkness with his similar appearances except his own personality which was very grim and malicious. A sudden encounter with the will of Yori's true darkness with in a form of the latter. What has happened with the others in the real world and will Yori regain his consciousness by breaking free from the will of his own true darkness?


	65. Chapter 64: Suppressing the True Darknes

**Chapter 64: Suppressing the True Darkness**

As the true darkness finally took control of Yori Yukisaki, it began to prepare itself to fight the Inyo shinobi in order to make it happen according to the Nightmare Seeker's dream vision. All the sudden, it began to go towards Tsukida Yukisaki, much to the Inyo shinobi's shock.

"I guess I'll start... with you!" it exclaimed as it delivered its first attack while manipulating Yori with his dark katana.

As it was about to attack Tsukida, the heir of the Yukisaki clan quickly unsheathed his Yoshiyuki and blocked its first attack.

"Tsukida!" Seiichi and Kuta shouted together with sudden utmost shock.

Yoji quickly tried to stop the manipulated Yori from attacking Tsukida as he rushed towards the two. However, before it tried to start and keep attacking Tsukida, it turned at Yoji and started attacking the latter with a quick speed and strength.

_"What?!"_ shocked Yoji as the will of Yori's true darkness struck its attack to the stomach and then delivered a sending attack with a turn back sidekick.

After Yoji was sent backwards, his body landed on the ground and rolled over until he laid defeated.

"Yoji!" cried Yumekui as he went towards the defeated Yoji and knelt by his side.

After Yoji was taken down, the will of Yori's true darkness continued to attack Tsukida, much to his shock. The manipulated Yori continued delivering sword attacks at his cousin without hesitations on his shoulders. Tsukida kept blocking his twin cousin's attack and held back.

"Yori, please! Open your eyes! I don't want to fight you or let you kill me and the others either!" he begged Yori to come to his senses, but the latter didn't hear Tsukida's plea.

"Like I told you already, it's no use to call to him. You can't save him." said the will of Yori's true darkness.

As the battle of the two Yukisakis continued, Tsukida became more worried about Yori as he kept holding back.

_"Yori..."_

Later after Yori found himself in his own nightmare world, the Crimson Butterfly Castle, he encountered the will of his true darkness in a form of_"himself"_, who was sitting on the throne with his leg crossed and his right arm resting on the arm rest. He became shocked that the true darkness's will took a form of "_him"_ after he regained his consciousness.

"You... I thought I've already dealt with you back then." Yori said, claiming that he already dealt the true darkness's will at the Crimson Butterfly Castle while rescuing Yume.

"Well, true, but this time it's different." said the will of true darkness.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's all thanks to Megami-sama. She awakened me within you while you're unaware." answered the true darkness's will as it positioned his head and legs to the two arm rests of the throne in a lazy way. "Right now, you were sent right here after I finally took control of you."

The true darkness's will in form of Yori Yukisaki gave a laugh of mad joy. To Yori's shock, he never realized that Megami awakened the will of his true darkness while he was unaware before receiving the pain he just had.

_"That means... back then,"_ Yori remembered when he saw Megami performed a simple hand seal, the Seal of Confrontation. And the last time he remembered was he just received unknown pain and unconsiously unleashed his true darkness.

After finding out that Megami awakened Yori's true darkness by will, he suddenly heard some voices he recognized.

"Yori-kun!"

"Dammit! Wake up already, Yori!"

"Huh? Rika? Kuta?" Yori recognized the two voices and became bewildered as he didn't know what just happened.

"Yori, stop! We don't want to hurt you!" Seiichi exclaimed.

"Seiichi?" Yori heard the third voice after Rika's and Kuta's.

"Why can't he hear us? Is there any way to save him?" Pana appeared after Seiichi's voice.

"Pana?"

Yori became more confused after hearing the four of his comrades' voice.

"Yori, I can't let you kill me like this! Please, open your eyes!"

With Yori's eyes widen in shock, he heard Tsukida's voice and didn't realized that he was somehow fighting Tsukida for no reason.

_"What...? What's going on?"_

Confused, he tried to call to Tsukida, "Wait, what are you saying!? I don't understand! What do you mean by that?! Tsukida!"

As Yori tried to call Tsukida, there was no reply however. The will of Yori's true darkness shook its head.

"They can't hear you, you're in your own dream world. While you're here, you became my puppet in the real world." it explained to Yori._  
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"Your puppet?" Yori replied and then suddenly realized why. "You used me to kill my friends!?"

"Yes, under Megami-sama's orders and in order to make the Nightamre Seeker's wish come true."

The will of the true darkness summoned a crystal ball and threw it to Yori, catching it with both hands. The crystal ball revealed the specific location which was an monochrome arena.

"This is..." Yori recognized that familiar place. Also, he became shocked to see himself fighting against Tsukida and the others in one against five. "Everyone!"

While he was controlled by his true darkness's will, Yoji was defeated and carried by Yumekui by arm as the two watcthed them along with Kabuto and the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares.

"Shocking, isn't it? While you became a mindless puppet of mine, you ended up fighting against your _"friends"_."

"What are you talking about!? I will never kill Tsukida and the others like that!" Yori protested with rage after seeing what happened from the crystal ball.

"Oh, is that so? Remember what I told you while I tried to take control of you so many times? Everything around you including your comrades are your enemies."

Yori became enraged as he prepared himself with a fighting stance, much to the will of true darkness's surprise.

"Oh, so you rather fight me in order to not let that happen to them? Very well, but you can't defeat me even I know your abilities as yourself." The will of true darkness in the form of Yori Yukisaki stood up from the throne.

"I won't let you use me... to kill my friends as a tool!" Yori exclaimed as he tapped his own true darkness in rage.

Meanwhile, Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana blocked Yori's attacks, however the latter became too quick and strong to their strengths and abilities.

"Damn, he's too strong!" Kuta panted as he noticed after the will of true darkness's control of Yori became more stronger.

Suddenly, Yori, under the control of the will of his own true darkness, quickly subdued Kuta along with the four in quick speed and taijutsu. To Tsukida's shock, he watched the four were quickly taken down in a flash.

"Everyone!"

After seeing his teammates, Rika, and Pana were quickly defeated, he noticed a surprise attack and quickly blocked it with his Yoshiyuki.

"I should be worried about yourself if I were you!" warned the true darkness's will after making a surprise attack on Tsukida.

Tsukida knew that he can't hurt Yori while fighting against his own twin cousin.

_"Yori... I don't want to hurt you even you're my twin_ _cousin."_

However, unable to stop his twin cousin, he knelt on his ground in defeat, knowing that he can't continue fighting.

"You're finished!" the will of Yori's true darkness delivered its final blow while controlling Yori's dark katana on Tsukida, much to his teammates', Rika's, and Pana's shock.

"Tsukida!" Kuta and Seiichi yelled in shock and fear while they got defeated.

All the sudden, a wind demon came out of nowhere and saved Tsukida away from the final attack by taking him in the wind.

"What?!" the will of true darkness noticed a wind demon rescued Tsukida before the Yukisaki heir was about to get killed in dismay. After the wind demon took Tsukida from harm, Yori, under the control of his true darkness's will, and its will noticed that four wind demons rescued the defeated four as well. After seeing the four wind demons protected Tsukida's teammates and Yume's teammates from harm, the manipulated Yori noticed autumn leaves came out of nowhere as an ambush.

"This is... genjutsu?!" recognized the will of Yori's true darkness after his mindless puppet became trapped within the leaves.

He controlled Yori to escape the genjutsu with full power using true darkness within the latter. After dispelling the genjutsu with full willpower, the will of Yori's true darkness noticed that someone was behind his puppet using a chakra no mesu from their right hand, pointing at Yori's neck.

To everyone's shock, someone, who intervened the true darkness's will via Yori Yukisaki, was actually Kaito the Dreamkeeper, who cornered the mindless latter from behind.

"Kaito-san!" Tsukida noticed with confusing shock, watching Kaito knifepointed at his twin cousin out of nowhere.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt him, Tsukida-kun." Kaito reassured the Yukisaki heir that he won't harm Yori and requested Yoji, "Yoji, tend the other four's wounds with Ifrit."

"I'm on it!" Yoji threw his chakrams and summoned Ifrit in a quick moment and went towards the two taijutsu shinobi and two ninja tool shinobi with Yumekui.

"Tch! I didn't expect someone like you would save them just in time... Kaito the Dreamkeeper." the true darkness's will stated after his puppet got concerned by the latter, catching Yori off guard.

"I won't let you have your way using Yori as your own puppet." Kaito warned the dark entity from using Yori as a tool to kill his comrades.

After Kaito stopped Yori from attempting to kill Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana, Yumekui began to notice that Yume wasn't with him.

_"Huh? Where's Yume-san?"_ he thought, noticing that Yume was nowhere after Kaito stopped Yori. He remembered that the last time was that Kai and Yume suddenly disappeared in the light after she picked up a white camellias among with the black camellias. _"I wonder what happen to her."_

Meanwhile at the labyrinth of the true abyss, the nightmare self of Yume Yukisaki panted while fighting her real self Yume.

"How can you be... so strong?" asked Yume's nightmare self, panting in confusion.

"It's because this is the true reason that I won't kill the Nightmare Seeker and he doesn't have any memories of me or either his death. That's why... this is my true answer." Yume stated.

"No... No...! I won't... accept it even though the Nightmare Seeker will defeat you even before he'll kill Yori and the others...! Once he defeat you, you'll be...!"

"I will not let that happen to me! I won't lose! I have to complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares without giving up or making any failure!"

She prepared as she made a stance for the Hakke Rokujuyon Sho and delivered her final attack on her other self.

"Hakke Rokujunyon Sho!"

After delivering her final strike on her nightmare self, the defeating latter fell down on the ground after Yume sealed her chakra point system, rendering her immobile.

"Why? To think that I lost to you..." said Yume's nightmare self, laying the ground motionless. "I don't understand... Why won't you kill the Nightmare Seeker?"

All the sudden, the nightmare self began to shed tears from her eyes unconsciously.

"I already gave you my answer; I won't kill the Nightmare Seeker because he doesn't remember me as his own student and the death of how Kabuto killed him." Yume answered once again. "There's no way that I will kill my sensei's nightmare self just like Kabuto did three years ago."

After Yume explained to her nightmare self the second time, the nightmare self knew that she had no choice but to accept the challenger's answer.

"Very well, I'll accept your answer. And I'll tell you about the white key piece you have just now."

To Yume's sudden unexpected surprise, her nightmare would explain about the half piece of the white key.

"About the half white key piece?" she replied.

"Yes, you need another half with a different color in contrast to the white one you have: the half black key." Yume's nightmare self explained. "Once you obtained another half piece of the black key, both of the two keys will connected together into one key and it'll lead you to the final stage."

"The key will lead me to the last stage." Yume replied in sudden surprise after finding out that both half key pieces must be needed.

"However, in order to obtain the black half key, you have to defeat Megami as your semi-final opponent."

Yume became shocked that Megami had the black half key piece and must defeat her in order to obtain the second key piece.

"She has the black key piece...?"

"Yes, the Nightmare Seeker gave it to her when she first confronted the Nightmare Seeker at the Crimson Butterfly Castle before she and Kabuto decided that he'll be your last opponent."

Knowing that she had to obtain the black half key by defeating Megami, she knew that she won't give up.

"Then I'll defeat her at all costs. I can't give up just yet," Yume claimed her decision. "I came so far until now. There's no way I won't run away."

After hearing Yume's decision, the nightmare self closed her eyes and sighed in reluctance.

"Very well, then I'll accept your decision as well. Never give up; complete the Seven Stages of Nightmares as soon as possible." she implored Yume to finish the nightmare game at once and then sudden disappeared in a glowing light before the latter.

After seeing her other self disappeared completely, she faced at the opened door and began to wonder if the door will lead her to Megami.

"I have to hurry. Kai-sensei already went there as well."

She quickly entered the door and the door itself began to close slowly after she entered already.

Meanwhile, Kaito stopped Yori who was under the manipulation of his true darkness's will from behind. After he stopped Yori from attacking his comrades, Yoji finished healing Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana using Ifrit licking their wounds. The four regained their consciousness and noticed that Kaito appeared out of nowhere, stopping the controlled Yori from behind.

"Kaito-san!" Rika noticed in surprise.

After seeing Kaito, the dream keeper stood still from behind with his chakra no mesu pointed to Yori's neck.

"You do know that, right? If you try to stop me by killing me, you'll kill Yori as well. After all, he and I are the same person and we're connected each other." explained the will of Yori's true darkness.

"Although I can't kill Yori, however I'll save him in any other way." Kaito explained. "There's no way I'm letting you achieve your goal after killing the other five."

To the true darkness's will's unexpected shock, it never knew that Kaito was aware its goal after killing Tsukida, Kuta, Seiichi, Rika, and Pana using Yori as its puppet.

"So you know my current goal, huh?" it realized that Kaito knew about its goal.

"After you killed them... you're planning to use Yori to join Megami and the others, am I correct?" implied Kaito as he guessed its goal after massacring Team Tsukida and Rika and Pana.

To everyone's shock except for Megami, they never knew that after killing the six Inyo shinobi and the manipulated Yori will join the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares. Team Tsukida, along with Rika and Pana, became severely speechless.

"Yori-kun will join the Seven Shinobi of Nightmares after he kills us?!" implied Rika as she became shocked.

"No way! Yori will never do that to us!" Kuta refused furiously.

Yoji began to realize that Megami mentioned that she met Yori from her castle and tried to recruit by requesting however Yori refused her offer.

"Don't tell me. You're using Yori to become the puppet leader, is that right?" implied Yoji as he realized Yori's connection to Megami.

To everyone's shock, they never knew that Yori would be joining Megami and the others as the puppet leader.

"The puppet leader?" Tsukida replied.

"Wait, Yori-kun... is replacing Yoji-san?" Rika asked as she never realized that Yori was trying to replace Yoji due to his defection from Megami and the others.

Yoku became distraught upon hearing Yori would be joining them after killing his comrades.

"What the hell...?! That brat refused Megami-sama's offer back then!" he exclaimed as he shouted at Yori's true darkness.

"That's true. But it's her wish after all. She wanted him to join you guys." replied the true darkness's will. "Am I right, Megami-sama?"

Megami stared at the possessed Yori and nodded.

"Yes, that is my wish. To be honest, after receiving his refusal, I decided to control him by force." she answered.

"What!?" Team Tsukida, Rika, and Pana became shocked upon hearing Megami's reason.

"I'm not letting that happen." Kaito refused to let Yori's true darkness to kill the Inyo shinobi.

The true darkness laughed Kaito's claim to stop him and unleashed a strong aura around Yori.

"You think you can stop me without killing my puppet? Well go ahead and try!"

_"Yori..."_ thought Kaito as he knew that he won't kill Yori.

Meanwhile, Yori panted and panted as he couldn't defeat his true darkness's will in the form of the latter.

"Oh, defeated already?" the true darkness's will recognized Yori's inability to continue to fight. "I never knew you can't keep fighting in order to stop me from killing your precious friends."

Yori stared at his will of true darkness with rage as he almost kneeled down on the ground as his body was unable to move.

"I believe it's time to finish you off. Once I kill you, I will soon control you for now and forever!" Yori's will of true darkness charged at the defeated Yori as he was about to deliver the final blow.

However, a shadow figure stood between Yori and his will of true darkness, to their shock. Then, the figure used the true darkness to repel the true darkness's will as it was sent backwards while blocking the surprise attack.

"What?! You?!" it shocked.

Yori became taken aback as he stared at the figure in front of him. The one who stopped Yori's will of true darkness was none other than Unmei, Yori's other counterpart.

"Unmei...?" Yori said with speechless was at loss for words upon seeing his counterpart created by Megami, protecting the latter.

"I won't let you control Yori. If you want it so badly," said Unmei as he prepared to face Yori's will of true darkness with his fighting stance. "You have to take me down first!"


End file.
